Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-05-14
blue laws RULE
. IN TWO COUNTIES
-. ---------.-.--ss
EFFORTS MADE TO ENFORCE AN.
GENT STATUTES IN POLK
y AND IOWA ONLY.
SIXTY ARRESTS MADE
IN STATE CAPITAL
Movies. Baseball and Theaters Not
z Closed But Managers Are Cited to
/ Appear Later-cases to Be Pushed
and Contested visorously--Havner
Orders Lid on il Home County.

Des Moines,t May 14.-Des Moines'
first Blue Sunday proved to be up
to its advance. notices. 1t was plenty
blue, but bluer ones may follow.
For the most part, business men of
the city who operate establishments
usually open on Sunday obeyed the
law to the letter, and closed their es-
adjustments for the day.
The police, however, made more than
sixty arrests during the day on charges
Of violation of the statute. BY far the
greater portion Of these arrests were
those of citizens Of Jewish religion,
who declare that the "blue law is an
infringement upon religious liberty,
and declined to close their places of
business. Few we're taken to the sta
ton. the Criminals being merely
notified OF their arrest. and ordered
to appear.
Moving picture men, theater owners,
ard the local Western league baseball
team decided to test the law. The pro-
prietors Of all moving picture and
other theaeers who were open for bust
ness were either arrested or notified
to appear in police court. The theaters
kept on running. The baseball game
was not interfered with, and crowd
of about 1000, gathered in some hope
of seeing excitement, had to satisfy
themselves with the ball game without
law enforcement trimmings.
Farwsathsr May Be ::Pincned.'
State Agent Urban Crawford Chief
Of Police C. G. Jackson, and Commits
sioner Ben Woolgar Of the department
Of public safety, were among those
who witnessed the ball game. Tom
Fairweather, owner, and also a city
commissioner, was present as usual,
but may have to answer for his own
ership Of the ball team in court later.
Aside from the movies, restaurants
and theaters. downtown -Des Moines
was closed tighter than drum Cigar
stores, drug stores, soft drink and
candy establishments, fruit stands,
etc, closed Saturday night and stayed
closed al day. Ice cream sodas couldn't
be bought, cigars had to be borrowed.
and fruit was of the market.
Those restaurants generally open on
Sunday did business as usual, but sold
no cigars or candy from the counter.
Cigar stands at all the hotels we're
closed. The Kirkwood drug store,
which has been open every hour Of
the day for years. closed up at mid
night Saturday and reopened at mid
night this morning.
Some Garages Open.
Garages and service stations gem
orally observed "blue Sunday" altho
there were exceptions.
NO attempt was made, to interfere
with the sale OF periodicals. or daily
newspapers, and newsstands remained
open. Amateur baseball also was not
molested.
All of those arrested onN charges OF
violation Of the statute were released
upon their own recognizance to appear
in police court--this morning. Judge
Meyer will probably hear the cases.
The Jewish citizens who were arrest
ed will make test case, as will the
moving picture and theater men. At
torney Sam Abramson will represent
the Jewish element while former At
torney General Cosson has been re
tanned by the moving picture and base.
ball men.
Des MONIES and Polk county had no
monopoly on blue law enforcement,
however.
: Havner Acts in Own County.
Iowa county, the home county Of At
torney General Havner, was closed
even tighter than Des Moines. MI,
Havner himself was present in Ma
rengo. the county seat, and ordered
County Attorney Roller to enforce the
laws. AS a result all commercial es-
Establishments save Ice cream parlors
were closed. The ice cream men were
permitted to remain open because they
had already ordered their supply for
Sunday, but they, too, will be closed
up next Sunday.
The action Of Attorney General Hav-
ner in ordering enforcement Of the blue
laws in Iowa county is regarded as
sure indication that the enforcement
will be made statewide in nature.
Polk county may be taken as typical
Of the counties in which large cities
are located, while iowa county is typ
ical Of the more rural districts.
No jFavoritism Expected.
The attorney general has already
announced that he does not intend to
permit the enforcement Of the laws to
be based upon favoritism for any par
ticular district or city, SO his action in
opening activity in both Polk and Iowa
county on the same day is significant.
At the Des Moines baseball park
the cigar and concession stands were
closed. 1t was impossible to buy pea
nuts or crackerjack, likewise red pop.
Score cards and cushions. which arc
handled by the club itself, were sold
without interfsrence.