Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-08
SUNDAY BLUE LAWS
ARE BEING REVIVED
Wave of Morality Hits New
York and Kansas City.
BINGHAM ON THE LID
Will Close Every Show From the
Y. M. c. A. to Scent Vaudeville.
BROOKLYN WILL BAR THE DOOR
Gets Out 1njunctions Against Police
INSTRUMENTATION Arrested
Out West.
BIN HAM>PUTS ON THE LID
BROOKLYN WILL BAR THE DOOR

NE" 1Ohh, december IA 'Dlue
Sunday" is promised New York tomor-
row. A literal enforcement of an old but
not seriously regarded statute under a
new Interpretation will deprive New
York's millions Of any form of public en-
tertainment and put them upon their
own resources for amusement for twenty
four hours at least, and, perhaps, for
many other Sundays to come. Orders for
strict enforcement OF Justice O'Gor-
mans recent decision in regard to the
closing of all places Of amusement on the
Sabbath were issued today by Police Com
missioner Bingham, and all New York
went home tonight to await its first
experience of a Sunday without its &C
customed amusements.
Commissioner Bingham's orders to eight
cen inspectors, who were called together
to receive instructions, call for a rigid
enforcement Of the law, and clamps the
cover of strict suppression on all forms of
amusement from vaudeville to the Sunday
evening entertainments of the Y. NJ. c. A.
The commissioner informed the inspectors
tIidl liC ouuudS ClOSlilS Id" CONeIS every
thing from the symphony concerts at Car
negie Hall to the fve-cent vaudeville
shows. and that any attempt to evade the
statute must be met with arrest.
Brooklyn Will Contest.
Theatrical managers and showmen
stated today that they propose to obey
the mandate of the law, believing, they
say, that it's strict enforcement will do
| more than anything else to effect it's mod
ification or repeal at the coming session
| of the legislature. The only places in
Greater New York where bright lights
will shine and wheezy pianos beat out a
| defiance to the police will be in Brooklyn.
| The managers of five moving picture
shows and a skating rink have secured
| temporary injunctions restraining the
| police from interfering with them tomor-
row, and Commissioners Bingham told the
| Brooklyn inspector that the injunctions
must be obeyed.
| Commissioner Bingham, in delivering
| his instructions. said that the Sunday
closing order prohibited everything in the
way of performance or entertainment.
and that the rule extended to dancing
academies and to dance halls. The COM
| missioner said to the inspectors:
Bingham's Homily.
Now, that order and that decision
mean simply the stopping of any public
entertainment or performance of any
character in place Of public amusement
on Sunday.
"And it won't be often that you will
have to exercise any discretion at all: all
performances OF any character in place
of public amusement is the way the de-
cision reads. Now that covers Carnegie
Hall as we'll as the one and five cent
vaudeville and moving picture shows. 1t
covers roller skating and it covers bene-
fits. The Y. M. c. A. entertainments on
Sunday nights are performances in a
place of public amusement, and while
they are run for the purpose of getting
boys and young men off the street. I'M
der the decision it is no go. 1t cut out the
Educational Alliance, with their little ar
rangement that goes on Sunday nights,
because 1t is a place of public amuse-
ment.'
May Eat to Music.
Commissioner Bingham said the music
in hotels and restaurants was not to be
disturbed. He said that the law was to be
enforced on the outskirts of the city,
where it has been the custom to play foot
ball and other outdoor games. The six
day bicycle race. which was scheduled to
start at midnight tomorrow, will not COM
mence until l o'clock, and the doors of
Madison Square Garden will not open I'M
til after midnight.
The Sunday closing law has been long
on the statute books, and bitter and wide
have been the contentious over it's inter-
pretations. The police have never been
quite certain how far they might proceed
| in closing the various forms of entertain
ments. though it was generally held that
performances in which the actors and ac-
tresses appeared in costume were within
| the meaning of the statute and should not
be permitted. Not long ago police in
| ton of Rossni's Staoat Mater at the Met
ropolitan Opera House. The case was de-
| cided against the police, but it did not
| make clearer the limitations of the
| statute.