Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-15
CLOSING THE posToFFIcE SUNDAY

N ERHAPS it is we'll to close the postoffice
Sunday; perhaps it isn't 1T depends on one S
viewpoint. The trend of things, however, is
toward the more liberal view of not enforcing the
tenets of any particular creed the whole people,
Jews Seventh Day Adventists and even Agnostics
are human beings. Perhaps from the standpoint
of some creeds the assumption that Agnostcs are
entirely human is a little violent, but it may be
true for all that least Agnostics entitled to
the benefit of the doubt Now these Jews, Ad-
ventists and Agnostics do not agree with some Of
the churches that it is sinful to conduct postal at
fairs on particular day-that day. to be exact, on
which Jesus walked through the cornheld and per-
mitted his disciples to pluck the corn, and on
which he healed a mans withered hand.
However, the institution of democratic gov
ernment rests on the guarantee that the majority
of its citizens shall have its way in any particular
locality. Whatever liberties the minority enjoy
are as concessions from the majority; that indeed,
is the fact of all human government maintained by
army and police II ma orlty of the citizens in
any locality shall desire to have the postoffice
closed Sunday, and the minority cannot induce
the majority to be generous and liberal in the mat
ter, why then the postofice must be closed. That
is the rule OF the land. And the postmaster gen
era is entirely right in declaring that he will close
the postOtfiCe Sunday whenever the citizens re-
quire it. He could do no less, consttutionally
But there is another point in this Sunday clos
ing agitation which needs to be considered in
different light. For instance the WOmans Union
abel league of Pasadena has uttered a resolution
indorsing the closing of the postoffice Sunday to
give one day out of the week for rest and recrea
tion to fit the men for better service, and argu-
ing further, says the news item, that the women
want their husbands with them one day out of the
week.
This is all wrong. The closing of the postoffice
has nothing to do with giving its employees one
day in seven for rest. At least it shouldn't have );
in simple logic it cannot have, and where there
may be local special conditions which tie men to
their labor seven days week, the fault, which IS
grievous should be remedied in some other way
than by setting up another grievous wrong. Rail
roads, newspapers street cars and all the public
utility functions operate seven days a week, yet
their employees work but six days. 1t is as reason
able to ask the gas companies to shut down on
Sunday to give its employees day to themselves
as it is to require the closing of the mails for the
same purpose. There is no essential, no legiti-
mate, or rational connection between the question
of Sunday closing and that of employees working
but six days a week.
The Pasadena women mean WE'LL doubt, and
it doesn't appear on the face of the item that
they are actuated by sectarian motives, but their
logic is lame. Perhaps it is ungenerOus to scOld
them. If so, let this stand apology. Intellect
ual, educated and supposedly thoughtful men often
urge the same argument in favor OF Sunday clos
ing Maybe it is only thoughtlessness. 1t appears
to be worse Actually it is disingenuous to say
the least The agitation to close the postoffce
Sunday is a sectarian movement That is nothing
against it, Most everybody is a sectarian of some
sort or other But it's neither frank nor manly, is
it, when you come to think OF it, to use the work
ingman and his wrongs as a tool for gaining sec
tartan ends?
Uncle Sam could we'll afford to pay his postal
employees better wages and work them shorter
hours The looping off Of just little Of the graft
would far than compensate for the extra cost.