The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-12-30
S|NLESS SUNDAY
IS MEETING WITH
MUCH OPPOSITION
Official blue Law" Plan
Would Prohibit Baseball,
Bathing, Golf, Tennis, Mo-
torinu and TheaterS.
BY FREpERJc ], HAsKlN.


proposed Sunday law, which was ex-
planned from the washington view
point In this column a few days ago,
is the center of a real emotional dis
turbance here in New York. And
here again the excitement seems to
have obscured the facts,
Neighborhood meetings are being
called in all parts Of the city and
surrounding suburbs $to protest
against the resurrection of the blue
laws; local chapters of the American
Legion are organizing to fight them;
the Freethinkers' society is threat
ening opposition to all kinds of re-
formers, and the theater and moving
picture industries are preparing to
fight to keep the subject of the Sab
bath out of our growing books
of national laws.
OF course, all of US have been more
or less prepared for further reforms
ever since the successful ratifiea-
ton OF the Eighteenth amendment,
but 1t is doubtful If anyone expected
them to come so soon, or so many of
them at once. Occasionally we heard
that an attack against tobacco was
omineusly immipent, but that the re-
formers were sharpening their toma-
hawks for an attack on all forms of
Sunday recreation, healthful or
otherwise, was scarcely suspected
until the Lords Day alliance an
nouneed it's belligerent intentions,
Even now some people are OF the
opinion that the alliance can not be
sincere in what 1t says-that there Is
some "jinx" about the thing some
where. For ,nstance, the other night,
AnVg tnWN a
two business men on the subway,
filtered up to the reporters ears;
Il believe it's all trumped-up
scheme on the part Of the Republic
an party" said the first business man
sagely, "They may have given these
old boys little encouragement, just
to throw them over in the end. For
even q feeble minded person can see
that the people are not going to sub
NIT TO any more restrictions on Sun
day, It's bad enough to get through
as 1t 10. Well, then, what would make
a better impression on the people
then for the Republicans to squash
the blue law agitation just as soon
as they get into office? What would
win the public's confidence quicker"
Hmm, that's a pretty theory" said
the second business man, "but re-
member that everybody thought that
prohibition was a joke until the SUI
preme court declared it wasn't. The
first thing you know we'll all be
dragged out of bed on Sunday morn
ing by probation officers employed
by the community to see that we go
to church" -,.
Blue Law Advocate. 49,.
On the whole, New York is in
clined to treat the sunless Sunday
movement very seriously, and anyone
who has heard the Rev. Henry L.
Bowlby, general secretary of the
Lords Day alliance and leader of the
movement, state his case can be per-
fectly sure that the alliance means
what it says. Mr. Bowbly Is short
of stature and has short. thick, en-
ergetic hands. His eyes are small
and shrewd, his mouth a thin, deter
mined lire above a stubborn chin. In
Altoona, Pa. where he was formerly
a minister of the gospel, he was
known as an excellent field pastor"
rather than an eloquent preacher.
In other words, he is-an extremely
efficient executive-the very type one
would expect to find presiding over
the crowded, business-like offices of
the alliance in the Presbyterian
building on Fifth avenue.
When being interviewed Mr.. Bowl
by it self-confident, but cautious, He
is careful not to say anything on his
own authority, but quotes elaborate
ly from the pamphlets of the alliance,
while one of the officials Of that or
ganization. usually his attorney, sits
watchfully at his elbow. -e...
When asked IL the reported aims of
the alliance were true the other day,
the reverend executive asserted that
he personally had been continually
misQuoted by the newspapers, but
would be glad to rehearse the pro-
gram and purpose Of the organiZa-
ton, t' ~t-
"Our organisation is backed by is
denominations" he began, Including
all except the Roman Catholics, the
Jews, the Seventh Day Adventists
and the Unitarians. We are we'll
will be q strong and effective one.
We shall work in every congressional
district In every state. We shall adj
vocate and spread propaganda and
cause voters to write increasingly to
their representatives in congress I'M
til no congressman who cares to stay
in congress will dare refuse to vote
for our measure. These were the
methods used by the Anti Saloon
league, and they were effective.
I'VE propose to pass no blue laws.
There are no such things as blue
laws and never were, SO far as 1
know. We don't propose to legislate
people into church. We do propose
to secure legislation which will make
1t easier for people to go to church.
In other words, we shall try to close
the baseball parks, the golf links, the
motion picture and other theaters,
the concert halls, the amusement
parks, the tennis courts and the
bathing beaches. We shall fight all
amusements where an admission fee
is charged. We shall oppose golf,
baseball, tennis, football and other
sports even If purely amateur or
devoid Of financial cost to those
watching or taking part, because
they set bad examples for children
who otherwise might be content to
so to Sunday school.
Out Off the Gas.
I'VE shall seek to restrict the sale
Of gasoline for pleasure automobiles
and urge other measures that will
stop Sunday automobiles and joyrid-
ing. This will not bring the old
fashioned horse and buggy back be-
cause we believe that the Lords day
should be day of rest for man and
beast.
Excursion steamer rides on Sun
day will be opposed by us on the
grounds that they are unnecessary to
the moral welfare Of America We
also see no reason why the public
libraries or art galleries should re-