The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1918-02-02

tCtL ~ hIO" 0ICllltA IN bCAD
in chat particular city will be open
that day. Does any one around the
place know whether January 5 is a
bank holiday in Picking or Athens or
Cape Town? Usually no one does.
It's hard enough to keep tabs on the
"a holidays rampant in these United
States. 1t therefore becomes neces-
sary to send an expensive cablegram
to get the information. This sort of
Thing happens not once, but many
times. in every banking houie with
an extensive foreign business.
Among the holidays established by
custom the occasion is generally the
anniversary of an important political
'Nent or the birthday of a national
Zero. Such holidays are therefore To-
cal, while church holidays are for the
most part general. The former class
prevails in the newer and more dem
ocratic countries, while the older ones
confine themselves largely to the
church fasts and festivals.
Where Holidays Are Thickest.
Contrary TO the popular notion, the
new democracieS of the west enjoy d
greater number of holidays than their
sister nations of the eastern hemi-
sphere. OF the 81 nations or depend,
encies listed Brazil leads, with 81
holidays. The United States, with
a, is Il close second, although she,
unlike Brazil, practically ignores the
church days Another popular delu-
sion is shattered when we find that
France has only Is formally observed
days and Italy only %. We had sup.
posed the Latins always outdid Us in
this particular. Among the other bel,
l%igerents Germany, ii is presumed,
will observe 20 days neXt year, Great
Britain l6, Japan 10 and Russia II,
In most OF these countries numerous
local holidays ordinarily observed
have been abandoned during the war.
The study of holidays is faseinat-
ing to the historian. Those of our
own country offer a particularly rich
field. If one knew the meaning of all
the half a hundred days celebrated in
the United States, with the collateral
events connected with each, he would
be we'll versed in the nations history.
One of the first surprises in store
for such a student is to learn that the
United States has nc national Holt
day. The reader will at once think
of Fourth of July and Of the Presi-
dents Thanksgiving proclamation.
But o even these are national. Acts
Of Congress and Presidents pro
nouncementS in this respect apply
only to the District of Columbia and
he territories. The states usually
follow suit. but as a matter of Gus
rom only and not of law. Here is a
chance to win some bets from your
friends.
Americas Red Letter Days.
American local holidays are rich in
historical significance. OF such are
the commemorations of Bunker Hill
and Bennington and New Orleans and
san Jacinto; the all but forgotten
Fast Day of New England, still sur
yiving in New Hampshire; Patriots
Day in Maine and Old Defenders Day
in Baltimore, Pioneer Day in Idaho
ana the various AuliiiSSlVu DuNS pup
ular with other Western states, Con-
federate Memorial Day in the South,
fogether with the birthdays of Lee
and other heroes of the ~Confederacy.
Two states have independence DAYS
of their own. Texas observes her sep
aration from Mexico on March 2.
North Carolina commentaries the
Halifax independence resolutions on
April - and the Mecklenhurg decla-
ration on May 20.
IT remains for Frederick county,
Md. to celebrate all alone the repu-
diation of the stamp act, n of the
most local celebrations o. Gn impor-
ant national event on recOru.
Among the favorite months for hol-
rvs the world owe November leads,