The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-12-26
BRITISH SMILE At
BLUE LAW CRUSADE
Think Uncle Sam Invited II
When He Took His Prohi-
bitiOn Medicine.
ny EARLE 4. REEt rs.


LONDON. Dec 26.--Americans al
ways have been regarded In Europe
as having made the trip over on the
Maynower, and as having failed. dur
ing three centuries. To overcome the
Puritan tendencies they took with
them on that historical voyage.
Not even the sometimes extensive
antics OF wealthy Americans on a
holiday. in the West End, London,
or in Paris, has wiped out the i'm
preston that Americans az a class
ar. "Puritans" and "Idealists.'
And now Britain. for one, is sure
IL was true all along.
For news OF what Is mere branded
as the "PussyfoOt sunday move
ment comes over tho cables, and bids
fair to give the smart wccklies and
music halls new ideas for mcrriment
for many weeks.
WE "HEARD THEM LAUGH
Convention bound as it is, England
brides itself on the recognition Of
the liberty Of the individual. The
much mooted "iibcrty of ,hc indi-
vidual' isn't always a tangible guam
titN in the eyes of the foreigner. But
they're sure they have it here, and
generally John Bull ~ greatly
amused at the prrdicamcrt ne thinks
Cousin Sam has got himself into By
having anything 20 do with the
"pussyfoot" in his earlier and liquid
form.
Therein be no end to his meddlinE.
That about Expresses til" English
view. And the Englishmdn. though
IS likely as not he cannot play ten
mis- ia his own neighborhood tennis
club Of Sunday himself, forgets
that he's in any way cmbarCocd on
the day Of rest, and ne boots his
derision of tn" American who may
have to consent TO curtailment Of
his Sunday liberty.
So John Bull thinks Cousin Sam
took his laying down on the liquor
question. and he Chucklcs and will
have you believe that the inevitable
consequence Of tn" first surrender
will he many more. each more hu-
initiating.
The appetite Of tyranny grows
with feeding says the Pail Mall
Gazette, anent the anti saloon
leagues jump into the Puritan Sun
day campaign.
1T only shows that democracy
and liberty need not necessarily
mean the same thing
ENGLAND Is AWAKE.
And, of course. the lesson must
b" brought home to England and
applied to its present 'pussyfoot"
issue. which is as yet merely a wet
issue. For instance. the Evening
News.
II il 9TH, Lords Day Alliance
has it's way a stern policeman with
"a club or revolver will hold up tho
Sunday motorist 10 discover what
are his reasons for daring TO he
abroad on the day OF rest, while tho
Sunday golfer viii probably hc cX-
rCutcd on the spot and buried at
the tenth hole.
In this country We are beginning
at last to free ourselves from the old
Puritan tolls which forbade innocent
recreation on sunday. But pussyfoot-
ism is among us, and the campaign
To deprive us of our glass of beer
may be, for all VIC know, a prelimi-
nary to making us the slaves OF a
set of dun and relentless fanatics"
DISCUSS PURITAN IDEA.
The Daily Telegraph discusses the
isue roundly in half column OF close
type, including for British Consump-
tion carly analogies from the early
American colonial days. These pill
grim fathers, says the Daily Tele-
graph. once tried the captain and
crew OF "A slave trader Cor raiding n
village on tho sabbath in far-oft
Africa. but the Telegraph doubts
whether the two American reform or
CARNATIONS will be able to put it
over"
The immediate effect OF the whole
discussion OF the Puritan sunday
movement in America will be a set
back for the prohibitionists Of Brit
ain. Rldiculc OF the past only served
to advertise them and their aims.
But the linking Of prohibition with
a movement for further restriction of
personal liberties Is bound, so far as
Britain Is concerned, TO weaken the
cause OF prohibition.