The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-12-07
CHURCH ASKSLID OFF
Preachers Protest Against
Sunday Closing.
DRASTIC LAW TOO SWEEPING
There II No Harm in n Good Play,
Even ON the sabbath" Declares
Priest-Many Believe that New
Measure VIII Drive POpuInce TO
the SaIOons-AcfOrs Make Protest.

New York. Dec. deposition 10 the
Sunday closing law for places of amuse-
ment. as interpreted By Supreme Court
Justice O'Gorman. and as it will be en-
forced on Sunday by the police. continued
to crystalline to-day. There will be
mass-meeting of all the central German
organizations in the city on Sunday aft
ernoon in Terrace Garden for the purpose
of framing protest. Several clergymen
asserted to-day that the too strict OBJ
servance of the Sunday amusement law
was pernicious.
This closing of theaters and amuse-
ment resorts simply puts a premium on
the back rooms of saloons and other
places of the kind" said the Rev.
Father James B. Curry. a Roman Cath
Ollie; ~ cannot last. There is a middle
ground in this question. and it must be
found. However no solution will be
found il dependence is placed on the
theorists and faddists and the issue which
has arisen in their work.
There is no more harm in sitting in a
theater and seeing a god play than there
is In sitting at home and reading a good
book on Sunday. 1t is a day Of relaxa-
ton and rest You cannot keep people in
the churches all day. and il you can't
you've got 10 find something for them 10
do after they have attended services. The
saloon is not the place There can be
public amusements on Sunday, and they
need not be Objectionable.
Conditions Now Different.
The decision of Justice O'Gorman is
too sweeping, said Rev. Madison c.
Peters. of the Baptist Church; 1t is
neither right nor just that the people Of
this time should be compelled to submit
TO law which was framed fifty years
ago without any idea in the minds Of its
trainers OF the conditions which have
arisen I am afraid that this order un-
less II is rectified Immediately. will cause
reaction which will give us a looser
Sunday than we have ever known. The
pendulum has been pushed too far one
way II must swing back. The decent
element Of the community must prevent
its doing any damage"
One effect of the new scheme OF giving
the city a dose of blue law" Will be that
no one will be permitted TO enter Madison
Square Garden on Sunday night for the
purpose of attending the bicycle race
scheduled 10 begin after midnight. il
has been the custom OF previous years
20 permit the race managers to open for
business at o'clock Sunday evenings, but
this year according TO Daniel Slattery,
| secretary to Commissioner Bingham, no
contest will be permitted
Actors Make Protest
Harry De Veaux. president OF the As
tors Protective Union. made an indig-
mans protest last night against the clos
ing of the theaters on sundays He
wrote 10 Mayor Mcclellan requesting TO
be heard whenever the question comes
up for consideration
Charles L. Hoffman. counsel for Big
Tim Sullivan's theatrical firm Of Sulli-
van & Kraus. said to-day that he has 10
doubt that the board Of aldermen has
the power to pass an ordinance giving TO
the theaters and 10 other places OF
/ amusement the legal right 70 furnish 70
the public such entertainments as they
were giving prior 10 Justice O'Gorman' 5
decision He said that he believed such
/ an ordinance would be promptly passed,
and that under it the theaters would be
left free to give proper Sunday perform
ances.
! Mr. Hoffman said that public sentiment
is in favor OF Sunday performances under
such restrictions as had been enforced
| prior TO the decision in the Hammerstein
case.
The power of the board OF aldermen"
said Mr.. Hoffman. lis clear and is eX-
pressly conferred upon il under the amen
datory act. The old condition Of affairs
should be restored.
Plan Favorable Ordinance.
Mr. Hoffman said that a proper ordi-
nance would not come in conflict with the
provisions Of the penal code against pub
lie dancing, Juggling, acrobatic acts. and
negro Ministries. He said that there Is a
| wide difference hetWnon the authorifV