Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-12-29
+" Sunless Sunday ;
ny Frederic J. Haslkiu

New York City, Dec. 2l.-The prropos-
cd Sunday law, which was explained from
the Washir gton viewpoint IN TINS ooiun'',
n faw days ago, s the center OF real
emotional disturbance here in New York |
Aud here again the excitement seems !"
have obscurcd the facts.
Neighborhood mectil gs are beng eoilea /
in all parts Of the city and surrounding
suburbs 20 protest against the res1rfec-
ton of the blue laws, local chapters OF the
American Legion are oIGanlzlhR 10 hBu'
them. the Freethr kers society - threat-
enirg opposition to all kinds oi relofhieIs'
snd the theatre and moving picture N
dustries arc preparing to fight 10 Keep the
subject of the Sabbath out Of our ever
growing book of national laws.
OF course, all of lis have been more or
less prepared for further reforms ever
sir ce the successful ratification OF tne
Eighteenth Amen dment, but IT Is uouot-
full if anyone expected them TO como :"
soon, or So many Of them nj once NG-
casionelly we heard that on attack
against tobacco was omnousiy lmnilheh',
hut that the rcformers were sharpenn &
their tomahawks for an attack on All
forms Of Sunday recreation, heaithiui or
otherwise, was scarcely suspected uhui
the Lords Day Alliance announced It's
helligerent interhOrs,
Even now, some people are oi the
opinion that the Alliance cannot DC slh-
cere in what it says that there IS some
''iinx" about the thing somewhere. TOT
il stance. the other light, the following
conversation between two business men
on the subway. filtered UP TO the reporter
ears:
Il believe it's IN 2 trumped-up scheme
on the part of the Republican party, shla
the first busircss mar sagely hey may
have gwen these old boys little cncouF-
aremcnt. just to throw them over " tue
end For even .t iccblcmir ded person cth
see that the people arc rot gong I" SUD
NIT 10 any more restrictions or sunday
It's bad enough to yet through n IT Is.
4 Well. thpn. What would make better mn
prcssjon on tho people than for the ke-
/ pubs to 40uash the blue law agitation Iust
/ as soon a. they gel into Office nat
would win the puhhc's rorfldcrcc qulckeI
Hmm. that a pretty theory, sald the
sec nd business man but remember that
everybody thought that prohibition was a a
Joke until the Supreme Court declared y
asnt. The first thing you know we u
All bc dragged out Of led on Sunday
morning bv probation officers employed
Nv the community to see that we 60 to
church"
A BLUE LAW ADVOCATE.
ON the whole, New York is incline 70
treat the Sunless Sunday movement very
seriously, and anyone who has heard Rev
Henry 1. Bowlby. general secretary 81 the
Lords Dav Alliance and leader of tho
movement, state aus case, can be perfectly
sure that the Alliance means what Il says
MFR Rowlby is short OF stature and has
short. thick. energetic hands Ills eyes arr
small and shreVd, hls mouth thln, de-
termined linc above a stubborn chm. Il
Altoona. Pa. where he was formerly
minister Of the gospel, he Was known - a
excellent ''held pastor rather than ~
eloquent preacher ia other words, he j
An extremely efficient executive th'
very type one would expect 70 md pre-
siding over the crowded. busincsS-lik'
Offices 81 the Alliance ii the l'rcsbyteraT
Building on Fifth avenue.
When beng interviewed. Mr. Bowlby l
self-conddent. but cautious. lie IS care
fu. not 10 say ANYTHING on his own author
Nv. but quotes olaborately from tn
pamphlets Of the Alliance, While ono Q
the officials Of that organization, usual.
his attorney, sits watchuliy 80 his elbow
When asked il the reported aims Of tn
Alliance were true, the other day. tn
reverend executive asserted that he, per
sonallv. had tecn continually ml squote
bv.tbc new snapcrs but would bc glad I
rebearse the program and purpose Of tn
organization
our orgaI Ization Is backed by l6 Dc
rominstions. lie began, including 81
avccpt the Roman Catholics. the Jews
he Seventh Day Adve. FISTS and tn
IritarlaIs We are well-E7 anCed tfi
lohhy ~ Washington VIII bc 2 strong an
efTectiye one We shall work IN ever
Cor gressionul district II every State. W
shall advocate a. d spread propaganda ant
cause voters to write Irceasia gly TO thel
represer tauves IN Cor uess uhnl n
Cor gressInan who cares to stay IN Con
cross viii dare refuse % vote for on
measures These were the methods use'
bv the Antl-S.loou League, aud they wer
effective.
We propose to pass no blue laws
Thee are no such thirgs as blue laws an
, never were. So far as know. We don
pToDose 10 legislate people Ito church
: We do propose 10 secure legislation whlcl
VIII make II easier for people to 60 t.
church In other words we shall try TO clos
he baseball parks. the golf Inks, tht
motion picture and other theateTs, Tn
concert i, lis the amusement parks, thu
tennis courts and the bathing beaches
We shall fight ali amusements where 81
adrnjssior fee is charged We shall oppos'
: golf. baseball. tennis, football and othc
sports even # purely amateur or deyoid o
fuerc;aI cost to those watching or taknl
raxt. because they set bad examples To-
children who otherwise might be coIteni
10 20 TO Sunday school
TO CUT orr TIE GAS.
. eve shall seek to restrict the sale o
; gasoline for pleasure automobiles anC
: Irge thcr measures that viii stop SUNDAY
} automobile z and Joy riding This Will no
brig the old-fashiol ed hUse and buggy
2 hack, because We believe that the Lordl
2 Dav should bc a day Of rest fq man anC
beast
Excursion steamer rides on SUNDAY
Will be opposed by us on the grounds tha
they are urr ecessary to the moral welfare
! Of America. We also see no reason why tn,
; public Libraries or art galleries should re
main open on Sunday. And Sunday news
Dapers arc ccrtairly ~ unnecessary.
when pressed for his opinion of some
) thing that the people could DO on Sunda,
besides 90 to church, Mr.. Bowlby de
, clared that there would be no objection
! 10 them walking IN the fields OF parks o
J attending the beaches. Provided they d
! not 40 in bathing lie added.
! II has been stated several times in tn