Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-08-08
Sunday Work or Amusement.

4
ed with the Harlan & Hollingsworth plant
Of the Bethlehem Steel Co. to play games
of baseball on Sunday afternoons has
brought the question before the local
court for determination, and the case VIII
come up in the city court, tomorrow Inc
result will be awaited with much interest.
Times change and men change with
them. Time was, in the State OF Delaware,
when the mere suggestion Of game OF
baseball or any other form of amusement
on the Sabbath Day would have been
regarded with horror. But not so now
Although baseball and other sports on
SUNDAYS are not yet tolerated IN the
eastern section Of the country. they have
for wears been allowed in western CITIES
and il is not held that any evil has resulted
thcrcfrom
In Delaware, however, We have an
ancient law. enacted back in the flgh-
tcCnth Century, which prohibits any
worldly amusement or worldly occupation
on the Sabbath day, under a penalty OF
four dollars fine, with costs for each
offending This law, we know, has not
been strictly enforced. II il was, there
would be no railroad trains in this State
on SUNDAYS: no trolley line traffic; no
business of any kind. People would be
compelled to pass Sunday IN going TO
church or sitting quietly at home
And so it has been from the necessities
for public convenience, that this old law
has been disregarded Now the question
arises whether it shall be ignored IN respect
Of one form of amusement The Harlan
baseball team docs not desire Sunday
games for the purposes Of financial proht'
but stands ready to donate all the proceeds
Of the games over actual expenses 70
fund for sending tobacco and other sup
plies to our soldiers in France. The ques-
tion is whether it should be allowed tins
privilege
It is q hard question TO determine But
il NAV az least be urged that as long as the
law is ignored in respect Of SO much
essential work that the people demand on
SUNDAYS as well as on weekdays there
should be a further exception IN respect OF
baseball games or other rational amuse-
ments on Sundays, for good purposes and
not for the desire Of profit by those con
cerned in them.
The great obstacle, of course, Is the law
There it stands, and II IS not good policy
as a rule, to ignore law. Only recently two
farmers of Kent county who worked on
their farms on Sunday, because they
were impelled by the necessities OF then
work and their inability to secure adequate
help. were prosecuted and fined. incident;
of this character, and issues like that
raised by the proposition for Sunday
baseball. also raise the question OF wha
should be a proper enforcement OF th'
law. Should II be enforced 10 the limit
to the prohibition of railroad trains
through Delaware on Sundays, TO th'
absolute stoppage Of trolley service; Il
the extent of not permitting owners o
automobiles to take Sunday rides; IN fact
to the extent of an absolute prohibition
all forms of labor or amusement on tn
Sabbath Day?
Yet this is what the law calls for. And l
il is to be ignored in respect Of certain line
of labor and public service, why should
not be further ignored 10 the extent Of II
oulgence IN certain rational and prope
smusements? We take it that if the la'
is to be enforced 10 the limit, IN respec
of all lines of labor or amusement, II vi
not last longer than the next Legislator
can repeal it, But al least, while II stands
it should not be rigidly enforced agalns
one class Of those who ask for indulgence
while Others are permitted TO disregar'
II entirely