Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-10-13
SUNDAY MOVIES
To CAUSE FIGHT
VIII Be Issue Of Coming LegiS.
Iature

By Special Correspondent.
TRENTON, Oct. 13.-One of the
biggest fights in the coming session of
the Legislature will be over the ques-
ton of permitting Sunday movies"
1t was so in the last session and the
signs indicate that the same battle
which was fought out last winter will
have to be gone all over again with
the moving picture men mostly on
the one side and the ministers for the
most part upon the other, and the
people in between. 1t will be recalled
that last year, even after the bill was
defeated in the Senate it reached
Governor Edge, by some subterranean
method, bearing the stamp of q reg
ularly passed measure ready for exc
cutive action. 1t was discovered upon
investigation, however, that such was
not the case and that either by mis-
take or intent the bill had gone to
the governor for sanction.
Those who have watched the pro-
Eress of the Legislative agitation IN
favor of the Sunday moving pictures
cannon help escaping the conclusion
that there is considerable c~amouflage
being practiced by those advocating
the proposition. It seems to be an
other case of an organized minority
putting it over while the general
public sleeps, just as in the case OF the
''drys'' on the question OF llquor reg
ulation. Most of the sentiment pre-
scented at the legislative hearings OF
last winter on Sunday movies" gave
the impartial observer the impression
that It was of the manufactured kind,
worked up those to be benehtted,
namely the motion picture business IN
terests.
Last winter they came before fhe
lawmakers with the cry that If sun
day golf could be played by the rich,
then the poor ought to have some
Sabbath day diversion. The advantage
of Sunday recreation in the way of
motion pictures for the slum districts
was pointed out, and the question OF
class distinctions and class opportunl-
ties to obtain pleasure were very cleV-
erIy worked up. To the listener
however, who had no particular inter
est the question arose as to how many
New Jersey cities really AVE SUM DIS
tricts needing this legislation, OUTSIDE
of possibly the several largest munlcl
palities in the State.
The further question in the mind
of the impartial observer of the legls-
latlve battle of last winter on TINS
Eubiect was: Are the great mass OF
fnG DGODtC OIL NEW OCl9SY bAS5C -
tween the golf playing and slum Nv
ing extremes played up by the movie
men-really interested in this leglsla-
ton? At the hearings they were no'
represepted. On the n side were
presented the representatives OF the
motion picture industry and q rev
labor leaders, who claimed labol
needed this legislation, although they
presented no proofs, except o conVeh'
lion endor e. net't, ard on TIE opf-"
irr side was he Lords Day a ifulce
of New Jersey, a body of ministers
who charged the proposed enactmen
would desocrate the Sabbath.
In the House of Assembly hearing
on the movie" bill. a sep was thrown
to the church forces by its advocate
who came forth with dramatic mag
nanimity and inserted an amendment
that no picture houses might open fol
business on Sunday during the morn
ing hours of religious devotion. 1e
It is well known that church services
are conducted on Sunday afternoon
and evenings, as well as in the morn
ing. .
The bill of last year carried a ref
erendum provision so that a mun1c
nalitv must first vote on the question
before the pictures car be shown OIL
Sunday. The Republican State Con
vention this year after consultation
with DR.. c. II. Hespe of HUDSON Coun
ty, the lobbyist for the motion pic
ture legislation. put in a plan wh1ci
practically indorses the proposition
provided it contains a referendum. Fo
some years the Democrats in the Leg
islature from Hudson County have
been in favor of this legislation an
consequently it was not necessary 70
DR.. Hespe to take the matter up Wit
their platform committee at thi
years convention. So with bot hpar
ties practically committed to the pro
gram, it is likely that the minister
will face q losing proposition whel
they oppose the bill in the comm
session of the Legislature.