Evening star., 1913-04-06
LASPHEMY LAWS
ARE HELD UNF AIR
Concerted Movement for Their
Repeal in England-Termed
''Ferocious and Inhuman."
RELATIVES OF TITANIC
VICTIMS ASK DAMAGES
Russians and Scandinavians Among
Claimants Schools
Planned.
LONDON. March 2S. 1918.

Recent prosecutions under the existing
English laws against blasphemy have re-
suited in a concerted movement for their
repeal on the ground that they are archaic
and unfair.
A meeting to this end was helu a few
days ago in Essex Hall, the traditional
| home of religious freedom in England,
which was the scene of a similar meeting
In 1924. 1t was attended by many clergy
| men and prominent secularists. who all
joined in denouncing the laws and de-
manding their abolition. A resolution
| urged their early repeal, asserting that
they were 'ferocious'' and "inhuman,"
and an infringement of the great prin-
| ciples Of civil and religious liberty
| Copeland Bowie, who declared he spoke
as sincere friend of religion, denounced
| these existing anti -blasphemy statutes
l'because of the unjust discrimination in
| their enforcement. He said that If a
fellow of an Oxford college. distinguish
| ed member of parliament or an emf
| nent literary man cared TO blaSpheme in
| learned and forcible language, there was
little chance of his being prosecuted and
imprisoned. but if workingman at the
street corner or In a public park gave
1 expression to the same ideas in crude or
foolish language he was hailed before a
court and frequently sentenced to con-
siderable term Of Imprisonment.
Titanic Damage Suits.
A number of cases for damages arising
out Of the sinking year ago of the
Titanic are to be brought in the English
| courts by relatives of passengers who
lost their lives in that disaster.
| The amounts claimed will be nothing
| like those which the American courts
will be called upon to deal with. There
| is no way, however, of estimating them
| accurately because in England. unlike
| America few of the claimants mention
any specific sum, leaving 1T to the courts
| to award what they think proper. Among
those who will take action in England
| are relatives of Russians and Scandina-
vians who went down In the ship.
/ A few test cases will be heard first In
order to arrive at basis for the sub
seQuent trials. Ordinarily the law limits
the amount claimable to s75 per ton OF
the ships gross tonnage Should Should TINS ms
total liability of the White Star Com
pany would Hst exceed $8,b00OO0. The
attorneys for the claimants win contend
that this law does not apply in this case
| College Men in Business.
The university man in business is be-
coming a burning subject in England
but several of the magnates Of commerce
| who have interested themselves in the
movement are somewhat discouraged by
/ the lack of response from those on
whose behalf they are working These
magnates state that while business needs
the university man, it can continue to
/ get along much better without him than
he can without it.
In spite of the attractions of the mill
tary service. the church and the law for
English university graduates. some of
| them have expressed themselves In favor
| of business careers II they can be started
in at or near the top. One Cambridge A. 3.
| suggested In the most ingenious man
ner that he would be quite willing to go
| into commerce II he could obtain a tutCr
| who would teach him the business SO
we'll that he could Immediately take a
| directing share in it. None of the am
| bilious seekers after business careers
| has shown any desire to enter it by the
| basement door.
/ Lace Makers Quit England.
Because the lace industry of England
has not been given tariff protection. a
prominent manufacturer Of Nottingham
has carried out his threat and moved his
entire lace establishment to the town sof
Raab, in Hungary. While it is not at
! all likely that all the lace makers of
Nottingham will seek foreign tariff pro-
| lection, the first step in this direction has
| caused much uneaSiness and considerable
| speculation as to the future on the part
| of the workers.
The Hungarian government offered the
| English manufacturer very liberal in
| ducements. He Is given free site for
his factory on the banks Of the Danube,
| freedom from local taxation for ten
years and imperial taxation for fifteen
| years, and cash grant of $1,000 The
| only stipulation is that after the lapse
| of reasonable time native labor shall
| be employed.
! The lace makers Of Nottingham have
| long claimed that their industry would
| be killed unless a tariff was established
| to give them some protection from for
| eign competitors.