Evening star., 1923-12-05
FILM FOLKS DANCE
ST|RS LOS ANGELES
Motion Picture Colony De.
cIared in Open Revolt
Against "Pharisees."
Special Dispatch 70 The Star.

Special Dispatch 10 The Star.
Los ANGELES, December 3.--Los
Angeles is all stirred up over the
dance, and. like most of the lively
things that happen at the film capi-
tai, the motion picture colony Is at
the bottom OF IL. This time, however.
II Is demanding freedom Of self-ex-
preston in its mode of life.
Now, after long years of silent and
passive resistance to all manner of
interference In their affairs, the mo-
tion picture folk are at last in open
revolt. They declare that 1t Is to be
u fight to u finish to free the city from
"the rule of narrow minded pharisees
and potential witch burners. who
would stifle all nasceut gayety."
/ Puts Ban on Police Rule.
! The Motion Picture Directors Asso-
citation, all powerful within the in
dustry. has launched "a campaign to
free the city from the rule of the
present police commission. which may
take the form of a political league.
in which other organizations will be
, asked to join to invoke the recall OF
| the mayor If he refuses to tire the
police commissioners.
/ The motion picture people say q
| vote will show that the majority OF
! the citizens are with them in their
! efforts to win freedom from the auto
| cratic rule of "a small but ubiquitous
! minority" and that once in polltlcS
the motion picture people VIII remain
, in politics to protect their o" views
: of liberality of conduct that should
ho permitted 10 the citizens of d great
city Of a million population.
"TIrst Definite Responses.
The first definite RESPONSE 10 the
proposed program of the movie folk
would appear to support their oonteh-
tion about the views of the majority.
1t comes from Secretary Zeehandelaer
. uf the Merchants and manufactures
, Association, by far the most inHu-
cntial body In Los Angeles
with II boasted population of II
million persons" said MIR. Zethande-
, laer. the city is dominated by a te"
persons who, under the guisc OF re-
lision. would force everybody I" go to
bed at . o'clock and TO 20 to church
three times 4, day.
The police department has fallen
under the control Of Il police commits
, sioner who. from the standpoint OF
his narrow n,ind edhess. is utterly uu-
; fit to hold the position he docs,
I'VE cannot continue. to entertain
! tourists II we act like rubes."
Others Express. sympathy.
Officers of other Important organi-
! cations have Indicated their sym
pathI with the movement for more
! liberal social regulations and the
! taking of police power out OF purely
social events.
| Los Angeles recently achieved a
new chief of police. August Eollmer.
| fancy cop with all sorts of theories.
He looked upon the police commits
! sioners and did not find them good
! in his sight. He demanded a change,
and. got it. Rev. ;. T. Montgomery.
| superintendent of the Anti-Saloon
League Of Southern California. pro-
| fessional politics raformer. WAS for
some unknown reason named as one
of the new police commissioners. and
l. W. Birhbaum, wholly unknown to
the pubic, was named as the other.
Mayor Cryer is the third member OF
the board.
big "SocfaI" Feature.
About the first thing that came
before the new commissioners was
rne Application for the permit for
the motion picture directors bail, the
big social affair Of the motion pic
turc world, with receipts devoted to
the relief of members OF the industry
who find themselves in need. and any
surplus applied to other charities.
Now Doc Montgomery is strictly
opposed to the dance in all forms. He
has studied history, sacred ana pro-
! fame, and can see no good in 1t. He
recalls. while bfushine at the
! thought, what happened when Salome
shimmied before Harod, and so he
moved to hold up the application for
a permit, mere perfunctory form In
the past. until il could be investi-
gated. He had heard OF the goiugs
on Of these motion picture people,
anu besides. he does not Believe III
dancing.
The permit was reluctantly grant
cd. finally. on the eve OF the bali.
Guests in Glad Array.
IN the meantime hundreds OF tickets
| had been returned. The crowd was
not nearly so great as in any of the
seven years past, but the motion pic
ture people themselves we're loyal,
and every member of the profession
that could be present was counted.
all in fine raiment and flashing
jewels. Some of the guests arrived
late, as late as after IL o'clock. recoG-
nizing the value of an impressive
entrance
Late comers we're out of luck, as
precisely at midnight flock of po-
licemen in uniform. appeared upon
the floor and in no polite manner put
an end to the dance. Those present
have not yet recovered from the
shock