The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-26

1t is the heyday Of the reformer, whose i'm
agination runs to dizzy heights as to what
he is apt to accomplish toward making d
little angel of everybody.
Washington-the Capitol itself, in facts
the mecca for the organizations which oper-
ate skfully through stats of highly trained
lobbyists men and women, whose knowl-
edge of politics and the way it is played
would put any national party chairman to-
shame The, prey at all times is the MEM
bership of the Senate and the House. whose
support is enlisted in any way possible, with
pressure exerted not only in Congress but
back home with the constituency.
Blue Law Revival Idea
Is the Object at Present
Just now the activities of at least group
of the reformers are directed toward the
institution of national blue laws" They are
driving wedge into public opinion, grabbing
hold little by little, in the hope the time will
come when Sunday work of every kind will
cease, the trains will not run, special de-
livery letters will go undevered the street
cars will be idle, when taxicab drivers will be
SSNS
where must either walk or drive his own
automobile They seek the day when there
will be no Sunday newspapers, when there
will be kilograms no Sunday baseball,
no Sunday football, no Sunday movies.
They will seek, l have no doubt said
Senator Thomas (Col.), educational blue
laws to take the sun out of Sunday and to
make it crime for a man to kiss his wife
on the Sabbath day When that good time
comes If it fails to restore all morality FOR
which men clamor, other legislation more
drastic in character will in all probability he
enacted, in consequence of which husband
ana wife will probably be locked in separate
rooms the children put in the barn with
me horse or taken from their parents, the
Sasolene tank emptied late Saturday after
noon and the chauffeur put in Jail until the
holy time shall have elapsed, so that men
md women shall be good, virtuous and
n ippy in the freest country under the shin
ing sun"
Senator Thomas's remarks, made on the
floor of the Senate during a discussion of
tie paternalstc tendency of the childrens
bureau bill, formed a bit of sarcasm which,
~. a matter of fact does not hit wide of the
mark The truth is that bill which would
be drastic in the extreme, approved but not
fostered by many of the uplift organizations
now in the field already has appeared at
the Capitol with serious request that it be
introduced.
Fines and imprisonment
For Any of It's VioIators
The bill was sent to Senator Mcclellan
(Tenn) by the Tennessee Annual Conference
of the Methodist ministers and laymen.
Shorn of it's legislative phrasing. it reads:
l. Hereafter it shall be unlawful for any
person in the employment of the United
States to work carry his vocation on
Sunday.
O. 1t shall be unlawful for any person
or corporation to operate Sunday any
freight or passenger train mail train
or any other train or part of a train on
sunday in the carrying OF interstate
commerce, trade or traffic of any kind.
g. 1t shall be unlawful for any post
office TO be open Sunday or to deliver
mail on Sunday 1t shall be unlawful for
any mail to be carried or delivered on sun
day by any employee of the United States,
whether in city or country.
a. IL shall be unlawful for any news
paper or other paper or publication pub
lshed purTforting to be published on
Sunday to be received, carried or delivered
as mail by any agency of the United
states. in any post office any
route under tho. jurisdiction OF the United
States.
g. Il shall be unlawful for any person
or corporation engaged in interstate com
merce or carrying any business vo-
cation under the laws OF or with the per-
mission or license n the United states, or
any Of its agencies to do or carry any
ordinary vocation business on Sunday,
the purpose Of this act being to express
national determination to honor the
sabbath day and keep Il holy, as God.
commands. thereby securing for all that
opportunity for spiritual and bodily re-
freshment decreed by our Lord for the
happiness OF all men and the safety Of all
nations
g. Any person who does any OF the
things above declared unlawful or who
procures or aids another in doing any Of
the things above declared unlawful shall
be guilty OF a misdemeanor and pun
ished upon conviction by due process of
law by fine of not under s1O0-or over
$4,000 for each offence and by lnprison-
rnent for not over six months I'm the dis
erection Of the court
And any corporation that docs or
aids IN doing these forbidden things shall
upon conviction he fined not less than
$1,000 or over 100000 for each offence
and upon conviction y second time for like