South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-12-26
BY LEO 8. BERNER.

Blue law agitation, no matter
how irrational it may seem. shows
that the minds of even some we'll
educated people are influenced by
it.
South Bend. like all cities that
have undergone a period of recon-
structiOn following the war, has felt
the aggitation. This seems to CEN
ter in the belief that an immense
taboo may be declared for Sunday
activities, if the work of the blue
law lobbyists is effective.
While il is generally conceded
that the proposed laws are ancient
in idea and would defeat the pur-
poses of modern education if put in
force. it is nevertheless interesting
to note just what groundwork the
lobbyists have for their stand.
Come From Rulings.
The very name, blue laws" was
given to certain rulings or decisions
OF colonial magistrates reported by
Rev. Samuel a. Peters, Church of
England clergyman, of Connecticut.
as the actual laws of the New Haven
colony. Though one of the laws for
bade a woman TO kiss her child on
the Sabbath or fast day, and an
other provided in what fashion men
should cut their hair. they have
been soberly accepted by great num-
berS of people as actually enacted
laws, illustrative of Puritan flliber-
atty.
These laws appear in Peters
General History Of Connection. >"
and may have been a somewhat
spiteful satire upon the Puritan leg
islation, which contained many
statutes concerning Sabbath observ-
anCes and the vice of drinking and
gambling that would now probably
be considered inQuisitorial. The
term has been SO construed in
modern times to be applied 10 any
law one does not like that affects
our personal habits.
Samuel Andrew Peters. the Amer
lean author, who may be directly
regarding blue laws" was born in
The Land Of Steady Habits in
1895. His early life was spent in
Hebron, Conn. He was ordained
minister in the Church of England
at Hartford in 1850. In 1874 he
sailed to England TO escape persecu-
ton because of his toryism, and
in 1871 published the satirical work
which gave rise to the blue law"
agitation. This work was called
The General History of Connect
cut" Historians tell us that this
work gave rise 10 the misconcep
ton as TO blue laws" which in the
brain of Peters instead of having
ever been on the statute books of
Connecticut. Peters never visited
his home after writing the book,
but moved to New York from Eng
land, where he died in 1926.
While the agitation grew from the
mind Of this early minister and his
torical writer, there is some founda
tion for some belief in blue laws"
when one looks at the history of the
New England colonies
Early Law Influence.
In the early colonies the Puritan
civil law laid its hand upon the cit
izen in his business and social re
lations: il regulated his religious af
fairs. it dictated his dress. and even
invaded the home circle and directed
his family relations.
One law forbade wearing lace. an
other "slashing clothes other than
one slash in each sleeve and an
other in the back" The length and
width of a lady's sleeve was solemn
" decided by law. II was a penal
offense for a man to wear long hair.
or to smoke in the street. or for
youth TO court a maiden without
the consent of her parents. A man
was not permitted to kiss his wife
in public. Capt. Kimble, returning
from a three-year ocean trip. kissed
his wife on his own doorstep and
sDent two hours in the brig" or
sitting with his feet in the stocks
r..
havior."
Theorists Of the present agitation
rave deducted that any pleasure on
sunday which does not accrue from
he reading Of the Bible or in some
trustworthy act is a dissertation in
he same sense as the eating OF pork
$ a dissertation among Orthodox
Jews or the eating of flesh on Fri
Icy and fast days is a dissertation
'or Catholics or the kissing OF your
wife on Sunday for the early Puri-
ans.
Likened to Formalities.
Many liken the agitation to
Ormalities in some of the churches
Il s.. Joseph county. which is noted
throughout the country for its nu
nerous sect2 In some OF these
.hurches IL is a rule that men wear
AtAi mas WINE III the HldJotItS -
$ mandatory that men remove the
lead dress. IL is said 10 be akin 10
he practice in some of the churches
i early days in which the women
vere hidden in the gallery TO pre-
ent the minds OF men from stray
g from thoughts of heaven.
The enthusiasts of the movement
INSIST that dancing on Sunday, either
70 home or in a public hall. is sin
III. They object to professional
.ames on Sunday as we'll as the back
NJ contests among children. The
- not forbid walking the streets
rOviding a train or street car is not
peeSsarv tn reach the dasirad