Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-05-08
FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL
SAYS PURITANic STATUTES
ARE INVALID.
HAVNER PLANS TO PUT LID
ON SUNDAY BASEBALL
To Begin Fight on Amusements in Des
Moines Next Sunday and Tom Fair
weather Plans to Make Test Case
Retains Cosson to Conduct Legal
Battle for Sunday Amusements.

Des Moines, May S,-Attorney Gen
eral Havner Will clamp the lid on all
forms of amusement in Des Moines
next Sunday ard will risidly enforce
TO the letter Iowa's blue laws, it was
stated on good authority today.
Mr.. Havner declined to discuss the
matter when questioned. 1T is not
the policy Of this office to announce
our plans in advance" he said.
Councilman Tom Fairweather, own.
er of the local ball club, other city Of
Aclals and police. however, admitted
that they had been informed" that the
blue law enforcement campaign would
begin next Sunday.
!. Is said state agents, deputy sher-
Ifs and police will work under the
personal direction of the attorney gem
ars- m the initial blue law drive.
Suppression Of Ball Games
among The first activities Of the day
NJ. 1s The suppression OF baseball anu
- arrest Of the Des Moines and ST.
T-=@-1 -.Sysrs. scheduled for a game
1@-=- - arrest of the owners and
managers o. The club and all employees
= - pax watch Will likely Include d
c--ESS hand watch FaiTweather has en-
2,sSs7 81 -s- ne occasion.
u = predicted that a. least seventy
&z--,z-IS ~. Dc needed 10 arrest those
~ l11e- me lgw are liable to prose-
e-:-5- zoE participating in the Sunday
gar TIE number, according TO a
SAKE agent today. includes not only
MO
hand. ETC, but the sports writer's Of
.oeel newspapers who report the game.
Whether the peanut and popcorn boys
and cushion sellers will be arrested re-
mains TO pc seen.
Cosson Is Retained.
II was learned today that Fair
weather has arranged with former All
torney General George Cosson to de-
ieEC those arrested at the hall park
and 10 attack the constitutionality Of
the blue laws. Cosson is reported 10
have declared that he can win the case
and have the puritanic statutes held
invalid He is said 10 be confident
hey will not stand a constitutions!
test.
Havner's plan, according 20 those
who claim to know. is to make big
drive on all Dies Moines amusements
and enterprises that are held to De
operating in violation Of the Sunday
closing statutes
Wide Swath.
This would include all theaters-
moving picture. vaudeville. and other
wise-candy and cigar stores. soda
fountains and drug stores. the latter
being permitted &c fill prescriptions
only. on the Sabbath. according 10 the
accepted Interpretation Of the statute
Whether the managers only o. the
various establishments operating In
violation Of the law on Sunday will
De arrested, is not known. II was re-
ported today that actors in vaudeville
houses and all employees Of the
movie" and vaudeville theaters would
be arrested.
the law provides a fine Of IS for
violation Of the Sunday closing sta
tute.
The attorney general during the ses-
sion Of The last general assembly
served warning that every law on the
statute books when the legislature ad-
journed would be enforced"
Efforts 10 have the legislature re-
peal or amend THE blue laws failed
Recently the attorney general has con-
ferred with q number Of county atto--
nsys on the proposed campaign.