The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-11-22
RAINES LAW MEAL
AGITATING BRITAIN
New Excise Law Makes a
Sandwich Go With Drink
on Sunday,

LONDON. Nov 21.-The Raines law
sandwich has become an issue in British
| politics In Tie debate on the excise
/ plll, which has been carried on In the
/ house Of commons all during the past
week, and which will be resumed to-
morrow. 1t has been found that the
} british legislators, like those OF New
OK, seem unable 10 determine def
nitely just what constitutes a meal
The amendment 10 the excise bill.
which now interests England more than
the question OF the starvation of the I'M
employed, empowers restaurants To SUD-
| ply Intoxicating beverages on Sundays
/ 20 anybody taking a meal in room
set apart for that purpose. Now the
! commons and the people of England
want 10 know just what legally is a
meal"
Study Raines Law.
Members OF the house OF commons IA
miliar with New York life are carefully
investigating the history of the Raines
law sandwich which the New York
courts have construed to constitute a
meal The solicitor general who is
watching the debate in the commons on
behalf Of the cabinet, protests against
England introducing the Raiues law
sandwiches and calling them meals. He
declared that the government was Op-
posed TO the idea that a sandwich could
be considered a meal The commons
thereupOn fell on the solicitor general
and demanded to know what a meal
was. Some members declared that d
cracker or a sandwich was a meal de-
pending upon ones appetite Several
members explained their experiences
with the Raines law sandwiches in New
York and Boston, and, after a humorous
debate. the solicitor general threw up
his hands and said the court would
have to decide what a meal was after
the excise bill had been passed.
The public did not take much inter
est IN the details Of the new excise bill
until the government consented to an
amendment reducing the number Of
hours during which The saloons and
restaurants may be kept open on Sun
days. At present Saloons and restau-
rants in London are open on Sundays
from 1 to p. m and from until II
p. m AS the police permit no triding
with the closing law. all saloons an5
restaurants in London obey the law
absolutely. Now all London is up in
arms because, under the amendment, all
saloons and restaurants may be kept
open in London only three hours on
Sundays instead Of seven as before. The
probable hours to be adopted will be
from 1 o'clock until p. IN. and from
Until 9 p, M.
Sunday Dull Day.
Unless the house or lords throws out
the whole bill, which At present seems
quite unlikely, Americans in London
next summer viii find a London summer
duller and gIoomier than heretofore, for
restaurants and hotels under the new
law viii be no better OF than the saloon
in Seven Dials or EQhitechapel
A wave Of temperance is creeping
slowly and surely over England. In all
the provincial cities the closing hours
of saloons on weeks days have been
made earlier. In Liverpool. Birming-
ham, Manchester, Dublin, and like cities
the saloons now close at II D. N. on
week days and at on Sundays. In
Scotland the saloons are closed tight
from 10 p. N. Saturdays until a. m.
Mondays.