The Moving Picture World (1907)

THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD. 683 Sunday in New Yos-R. New York took stock of itself yesterday to see how it liked a blue Sunday. The clergy seemed to like it, though there was some dissent from the strict interpretation of the law. "It was a pretty tight Sunday," is was suggested to Mayor McClellan. "Those were my orders," the Mayor answered. He declined to discuss his probable action with regard to the ordinance which will be put through the Board of Aldermen to-day for the re- lief of the situation brought about by Justice O'Gorman's decision in the Hammerstein case. Alderman Doull has in charge the preparation of the relieving ordinance for to-day's session of the Aldermen, although "Little Tim" Sullivan will look after its passage. _ Little effective opposition to its passage is expected. It was predicted last night that on next Sunday the city would not be governed under the O'Gorman interpretation of the law. The Doull ordinance was submitted tp Corporation Counsel Pendleton for advice, and he and the Mayor had a long con- ference over it yesterday morning, 1 "Mr. Doull's ordinance is now in the hands of one of my subordinates." said Corporation Counsel Pendleton yesterday. "I think that it is framed so as riot to conflict with the Penal Code. I don't think the Penal Code prohibits lectures, for in- stance. Why, suppose a missionary should return from Africa and want to tell of his experiences there? The Penal Code wouldn't stop that, even though it might be very entertaining because of the humor of it or for other reasons." "Could a monologist on a vaudeville stage tell funny stories," Mr. Pendleton was asked, "provided he were disguised as a missionary?" "Ah, that would be up to the police. I can't tell just what would be allowed by the Penal Code. After all, no matter what ordinance is passed by the Board of Aldermen, some decision of the Supreme Court will sooner or later have to be had on the question, and then the way will be made clear." It is understood that Alderman Doull's ordinance provides for seven sorts of entertainment on Sunday. Manifestly, among them will be such lectures as are had at the Young Men's Chris- tian Association and other places. • and such straight musical programmes as are given-at Carnegie Hall. Just what else is included in Mr. Doull's measure is not defin- itely known. The doomed section of the charter specifically pro- hibits interludes, but the Penal Code doesn't mention them. Just what can be included under "interludes" depends on the ingenuity of the Aldermen. Webster's Dictionary says that an interlude is a short enter- tainment between the acts of a play; a short, merry, farcical form of the play; or a short piece of music. Much might be done with interlude. - j The Federation of Churches and Christian Organization will try to get the board to postpone the.consideration of any ordi- nance to-day, pending the thrashing out of the question as to whether a commission might not be appointed to look after the matter of Sunday entertainments. At a meeting of the Methodist Preachers' Association yester- day the unanimous sentiment, as expressed in a resolution, was that the Sunday law, even as laid down by Justice O'Gorman, should be enforced to the letter, and the police should be com- mended by letter for their successful work on Sunday. At an interdenominational meeting held last night at the Marble Collegiate Church, under the auspices of the National Bible Institute, it was decided to work hard to maintain such Sundays as the last New York had. and be represented at the meeting of the Aldermen to-day. On the other hand, the regular vaudeville theaters will have powerful aid at the board meeting. The German societies, with a membership of at least 100,000, will be presented. And the 5po penny arcades, nickelodeons, moving picture emporiums, and similar centers of "entertainment," will bring influence to bear to-day, and amen? these influences will likely be "Big Tim" Sulhvap. who owns some of these places. It will be possible to get an ordinance through the board, by we Mayor, and all signed, and in full force by next Sunday. Al- derman Doull said he did not look for much opposition. Asked yeterday afternoon what he would do in case an ordi- nance relieving the situation was passed. Commissioner Bingham said that he would in all cases rely upon the advice of the Cor- poration Counsel. He declared himself as fairly well satisfied with the conduct of the police on Sunday. ^——- "They did pretty well," he went on. "I was afraid of some fool breaks. They made fewer than I expected. Justice O'Gor- man's decision as to Sunday amusements made the way abso- lutely plain. And, as I say, the Sunday closing was especially at- tended to on this last Sabbath." In accordance with Justice O'Gorman's decision, the doors of SCO concert halls and theaters were closed; but the back-room of 5,000 saloons and all the billiard and pool parlors, together with bowling alleys, were wide open. Every one of these did the largest business for any Sunday in their history, and never before were so many intoxicated men seen in the streets. Dancing academies and roller skating rinks were closed tight, while restaurants and beer gardens operated under restaurant licenses were permitted to run without hindrance and with musi- cal accompaniment. For the first time in December in fifty years no ball was held on Sunday night in Tammany Hall. With one exception in Manhattan all the proprietors of the penny arcades and nickelodeons followed the lead of the owners of the large theaters, and kept their places closed. The solitary exception was that of the lessees of a little nickel moving pic- ture show called the Comedy Theater, at No. 68 West One Hun- dred and Twenty-fifth street. This place seats 300 people, and holds shows every fifteen min- utes. It started at 1 o'clock and did a land office business all day, the only intermission being between 8 and 9 o'clock, when the doors were closed for a short time while the police con- ducted a raid and carried to the station house Mrs. Ethel Gor- don, of No. 64 West One Hundred and Seventh street, who was acting as cashier; Edward Bault, the ticket taker; F. Brier, the picture machine operator, and George Klein, the barker. At the station house these persons were promptly bailed by the owners of the theater, Brill & Fox, and immediately returned to the receipt of customs. Their employers told the police that they were keeping their place open under the. instructions of their attorneys, who held that an injunction obtained by them in the Supreme Court of Kings County last week, restraining the police from interfering with their Sunday shows, covered their case. Notwithstanding the fact that all the so-called sacred concerts and theatrical amusements were closed, the attendance at the churches was not above the normal. Brooklyn to-day is gradually recovering from the effects of the first "blue" Sunday in its history. It caught the masses of the people off their guard and had them dazed. Along toward evening they were helpless, and utterly hopeless of discovering any place of amusement where they might leave some of their hard-earned shekels, they turned their steps homeward. Brook- lyn yesterday was about as lively as Coney Island is on a bleak December day. With the exception of five moving picture shows,* which were protected by injunctions, there was nothing in the line of amusement open to the public. At the Fourth Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church an illusr- trated lecture was postponed after a conference of Officials of the church with Captain Summers, of the Fourth Avenue Sta- tion. An illustrated lecture, advertised to take place at the Cen- tral Branch of the Y. M. C. A., was also put off. At Christ Episcopal Church, Canon William Sheafe Chase, the pastor, who was one of the prime movers against Sunday per- formances in theaters, referred to the decision of Judge O'Gor- man and said that representatives of the Federation of Churches would probably appear before the Board of Aldermen at to- morrow s session and favor the appointment of a Sunday Concert Commission. * * * REV. EDWARD NILES TELLS OF VICTORY. At the White Church yesterday morning the Rev. Edward Niles, secretary of the Interdenominational Committee for the Suppression of the Sunday Vaudeville, said: "This organization was formed in response to appeals from the Actors' Alliance and labor unions to help them in fighting for a day of rest. It has been an uphill fight, with that sturdy Christian warrior, Canon Chase, ever at the fore. Of course, the syndicates which, control the Sunday open theaters and the other syndicate running the moving picture shows fought tooth and nail. Their chief reliance was upon 'the law's delay.' They knew our minutes were mortgaged heavily, that we were poor, that sitting around at court and taking the time-exhausting trips to court to have causes adjourned were terrible punishments. They played, the game for all it was worth, and openly boasted that we had been worn out by similar tactics in the past and would be this time. They knew that the plain words 'any enter-