Evening star., 1943-04-15
McCarran Asks
Ban on Smoking
In D. C.. Movies
Urges EorIy Action
By Commissioners
To Cut Fire Danger

10 Nut TIIe OOn9eI
A demand by Chairman McCarran
of the Senate District Committee
that the Commissioners prohibit
smoking in theaters and movie
houses brought applause from near
ly 200 persons attending a prblic
hearing today on the proposed stl,p-
gent fire safety regulations y
Senator McCarran, Democrat, of
Nevada, in letter read by direction
of the Commissioners, maintained
that even cigarette or match pro-
vided potential threat to the lives
of many. He added. "a person who
cannot forget smoking for a half
hour or so is so lacking in willpower
he should not be permitted at large"
He urged the Commissioners to in
woke such rule at the earliest pos
sible moment and to require rigid
enforcement.
Theaters Won't Protest.
A. Julian Brylawski, representing
the Motion Picture Theater Owners
of Washington, while testifying as
to the proposed regulations, said he
knew of no fire or panic which ever
had been caused in theaters through
out the country-while the theaters
were in use by customers-from
smoking by patrons.
He argued also that persons will
not go to see poor picture just SO
they can smoke. and do not stay
away from a good picture merely
because they can't smoke. 1t is
only a matter of convenience, he
said, adding that smoking is per-
mitted only in some theaters. which
now are attended mostly by service
men. AS far as the members of the
motion picture association are con-
cerned, he said. they will make no
serious protest if the rule is adopted,
and he pointed out that he was
speaking primarily for the Ninth
street movies. He insisted the ar
gument was in nowise based on
financial reasoning.
Uline Arena Backs Ban.
Support for smoking ban came
from Jack Espey, general manager
of the Uline Arena. who said the
striking of matches or the mere
holding of lighted cigarettes or cigars
constituted hazard in addition to
the discomfort caused by smoke
filled rooms. He would have the rule
apply to the main auditorium of any
building used for sports, as well as
theaters.
Opposition to many OF the pro-
posed rules came from boarding and
rooming house operators, and objec-
tions also were voiced as to some
proposed features by Rufus S. Lusk
of the Building Owners and Mana
gers Association, who also Is presi-
dent of the Washington Taxpayers
League. and Charles J. Rush, secre-
tary of the Washington Real Estate
Board: Arthur Harnett, secretary OF
the Washington Hotel Association,
and Robert Wilson of the Washing
ton Restaurant Association.
Commissioner John Russell Young.
In response to some protests, ap-
proved suggestions that adoption OF
the rules be delayed until spokes-
men for affected business groups
can consult with District officials
charged with perfection of the regu-
lations.
Asks Understandable Rules.
Mr.. Lusk won rousing applause
when he asked the Commissioners
please" when proposing new regu-
lations ''to put them in an under
standable FORM complaining that
the draft proposals referred to
state, for instance, Change existing
language on paragraph so-ssnd-so,
section so-and-so, by deleting 200
and inserting 100"
what was that?" asked Commis-
eioner Young.
TT must have been good" said
Mr.. Lusk referring to.the applause.
He repeated his remark and got an
other round of applause.
A proposal which drew objections
from Mr.. Lusk, Mr. Harnett and
Mr.. Wilson provides that in res
taurant the distance of travel from
any place in the room to the nearest
exit must not exceed so feet. 1t
was proposed that this be made not
less than IS feet. Mr.. Lusk said he
knew offhand of at least dozen
restaurants which would have to go
out OF business if the pending pro-
posal were adopted.
Support for the proposed regula-
tions generally was given by Baxter
Smith, representing the Federation
of Citizens Associations, and Theo-
dore Coe. representing the Wash
ington Building Congress. although
the latter group had submitted a
lengthy report discussing many
technical features.
Mrs. Helen Dewey Hoffman of the
Washington Housing Association
said there should be an educational
program for tenants of rooming and
lodging houses to teach them what
they should do in case of fire and
how they may avoid creating fire