The Penn's Grove record., 1919-04-11
WARM DEBATE
ON SUNDAY BILL
Opponents Say 1t viii Cause
LawIessness, Friends Claim
Restrictions Mean Revolt.
TO FIGHT APPROPRIATIONS,
Labor Clashes With Clergy on Bill.
Battle on Non-Partisan Lines to
Greet Measure Planning to
Spend st2,ooo,ooo

Trenton, April s.-Clergymen and
others who said they represented more
han 800 New Jersey churches told a
committee of the senate h a the by
land Sunday sports and movie bill
would result in the CHARACTERIZATION
of the Sabbath. The supporters of the
measure took the position that the
masses of the people of the state were
demanding it because of the inereas'
ing restrictions now being placed, not
only upon their Sundays, but on all
seven days of the week. They held
that their personal habits were being
affected.
The two sides in the debate on the
bill, which, if passed, will allow mo-
ton picture shows, concerts and sports
OF Sundays. were wide apart. Those
who represented the churches took the
view that a reign of anarchy and law.
i~essness would follow the enactment
of the bill that would be real Bolshe-
vism, while those opposed said that
increased restrictions are doing a part
TO bring about a spirit of. revolt.
Charles Hespes, president of the
State Citizens League, led the attack
for those In favor of the measure,
which passed the house. He said that
it was a home rule measure under
which the voters of any community
may determine whether Sunday
amusements, under the proper safe
guards, should be sanctioned. He ar
gued that the blue laws enacted
more than 80 years ago may rave
been all right In their time, but they
are not in accordance with the pres
ent ideas and conditions. He said that
eventually the majority must rule, and
that the majority wanted a liberal
Sunday.
Says Minority Is Ruling.
1.-The menac of Bolshevism is
threatening the entire country de-
clared Hespes. Its spread is being
fostered by the efforts of a small mi
nority to control the personal habits
of ii majority of the people. This is
not a bill to legalize anything. but
rather to submit to popular vote the
question Of Sunday regulation"
The motion picture interests we're
represented by Walter Irwin, who told
Of the work accomplished during the
war for the government by that indus
try. He said that the measure under
consideration was consistent with the
a,;-oIDIoS 90 lthnrtu For u,htoh tho
thousands of young Americans died In
the world war. He denounced the spir-
it of intolerance, which he said now
was abroad.
The difference in the demands of
the people Of the larger cities from
those of the smaller communities was
dwelt upon by Mayor GIllen Of New
ark. who said that the workers Of the
tenements and the crowded cities are
entitled to Sunday amusements. Ar
thur E. Quinn. president of the State
Federation of Labor. said that labor
demanded the passage Of the bill and
told of a personal incident when. worn
out physically. he sought a place Of
amusement one Sunday.
81 searched through Philadelphia
and God-forsaken Camden" he declsr-
ed. "for a moving picture show, but
could not find one"
Thirty-three Bills Downed.
The opposition to the measure was
led by Rev. F. w. Johnston of New
ark. who gave some of his personal ex-
periences in following legislation of
This kind, and said that in IL years SO
hostile Sunday bills had been intro
luced in New Jersey, but none of them
had passed. File declared that all of
these measures to desecrate the Sab
hath had originated in Jersey City.
although ~Assemblyman Hyland is from
Essex. Rev. DR.. J. w. Westcott Of
Perth Amboy said he was familiar with
the desires of &c nationalities and was
convinced that the demand for the hill
anne from the moving picture advo-
'ateS and not from the people. Rev.
D.. II. r. Ketcham of Trenton said the
ministers were not merely opposed to
Sunday recreation, but to the CONNER
-iaIization of the Sabbath.
Prospects of a sharp fight of a pure
ly non-partisnn character upon the an
appropriation bill. carrying to-
tails of about So. OOO.O 700, keyed up in
crest in the opening Of the ina week
,f the legislatures session. The fight
$ TO be waged by advocates of the
proposed New Jersey ship canal from
,~,nrdentown to Raritan hay. who want
5000 600 as tho initial item for the
,cauiSition of land for right of way
for the canal. The Approximation COM
is said to have completed IFS
niII without including the S50O.O 900
for which Assemblyman Dallas
Young of Monmouth has put in vicor-
ous ticks. His claim has heon that the
project has been sidetracl ed by tha
lesire to appropriate funds for the
Hudson tunnel and Delaware bridge,
for which 81, 100000 is to be included
IN the hill.
Senator Whitney chairman of the
Appropriation Committee, has stated
hat, under the law by which the canal
vas authorized. passed about seven