The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-10-17
"We Just Sort of Look the
Other Way" Mcbride States.
Labor Commissioner Makes
Startling Admission Today.
NO LID ON SUNDAY SHOWS
s.We Can't Fool With EN-" Of
ficer of State Says.
at All Depends on the 'Alti-
tude' of the People,"

IF they run their shows and peo-
pIe don't complain, we just sort of
look the other way. If we fooled
with them, they would keep us
busy all the time."-Paul j. Mcbride,
state labor commissioner, comment
ing on Sunday theaters.
Asked for an explanation of Sunday
theaters in Leavenworth, Atchison,
Kansas City. Kansas, and other towns,
with strict blue laws for Topeka, Paul
]. Mcbride, state labor Commissioner,
gave the State Journal the above
statement of the position of his de-
partment. McBrides department
caused the arrest of a Topeka grocer
and an army of clerks for moving on
Sunday Outside Topeka, vaudeville
and moving picture theaters are ad-
vertised and operated on Sundays.
The state Just sort of looks the other
wav." as Mcbride expressed i, be-
cause interference would keep the
state busy all the time
For months moving picture shows
and vaudeville houses have been op-
Grated in various towns in the state.
These towns have no ordinances
against Sunday shows But with a
strict anti Sunday labor law, the state
Ia DOT 0eDaTIInenI mas taken no dCllOn
outside Topeka. In Topeka officers
left their beds and homes in the mid
die of the night to arrest a grocer
who moved his stock of goods after
midnight Saturday. Bill boards, pos
ters and large newspaper advertising
space is used for advance announce
ment of theaters in several Kansas
towns The same state department
that acted quickly and promptly in
Topeka-and gained extensive news
paper mention has never moved in
the case of the Atchison, Leaven-
worth and Kansas City theaters. Nor
is there so much as hint that
move is contemplated.
Have What They Want.
Mcbride was inclined to convey the
impression that possibly the people
ought to have what they want. Only
they shouldn't bother the state about
it. He stated frankly and clearly that
if a town wanted Sunday shows, his
department was busy somewhere else
and wasn't looking.
IF they run their shows and peo-
pie don't complain. we just sort of
look the other way" Mcbride ex-
planned when asked concerning COM
plants in Topeka and failure to act
in other towns. eff we fooled with
them, they would keep US busy all the
time.
men IL a lOWu ullS llS SIOWo anu
advertises them to the world, you don't
propose to interfere %
Look the Other Way.
We'll, we can't take up all our time
watching to see whether someone is
running a picture show on Sunday or
not. Maybe they are and maybe they
amt. 1t all depends on the altitude"
Correct quotation) of the people any
way. If the law amt all right, then
the legislature ought to patch it up
or repeal it. We can't run up and
down the state looking about every
show" Mcbride grinned and winked.
when a mine doesn't use the
proper safety appliances, doesn't your
department file a complaint on its
own motion ?"
"Oh. yes. Yes. indeed, we do that, e"
said Mcbride.
Shows beyond the shadow of the
state house dome. tho, seemed some
thing else. Besides. if the towns
wanted the shows Mcbride believed
on HaOa TWOl