The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-26
Blue" Because of Color of
Paper the Laws Were Written On

When New England was wringing a scant
living by farming and fishing in the starving
times of the colonies the dour orefathers
passed the strict laws regarding the Sabbath
called blue because of the color of the paper
on which they were printed and distributed.
They made some of the registering blades. of
the day blue enough, for even in Massachu-
sets and Connecticut there were sinful
wights who enjoyed cooking mains and fox
hunts
One of the centres Of Puritanism was
Connecticut, home of the blue laws which
actually remained in their primal severity
on the statute books up to 1866, or until just
after the close of the civil war. The Legisla-
ture in 1917 amended the Sunday law so as
to give local option with regard to Sunday
baseball and motion pictures and similar
secular amusements. The result is that
some forms of entertainment and diversion
are now common in many of the towns and
cities of the Nutmeg State
Retail merchants are forbidden to keep
their stores open on Sunday. but the law in
this respect has not been enforced for years
The existing statute solemnly declares that IT
Is forbidden for any one to work on Sunday
in any shop, warehouse or mechanical
establishment" 1t was a common practice
however. during the European war and even
at present for manufao ners to operate
their plants on the Sabbath day on the plea
OF rush orders and necessity, and to take
the risk of paying $50 fine for the in
fringement
Dancing and Other Diversions
Forbidden on Sunday
1t was a violation of the laws OF the State
of Connecticut up to 1917 for any one to at
tend concert of music, dancing or any
other public diversion" on Sunday.
There has grown up in Connecticut a more
mill .rI
ling, following the repeal in 1902 of the
statutes which forbade the operation of
trains within the boundaries of the common
wealth between sunrise and sunset on Sun
day except for necessity of mercy or for
the carriage of mails or preservation of
freight"
Street railways, however, did carry pas
sengers on the Lords Day without let or
hindrance and were not prosecuted, although
there was another statute which expressly
forbade travelling on Sunday for amusement
and recreation. When woman was in
tured in Norwalk as a result of an accident
sustained while travelling on a trolley she
sued the Norwalk Tramway Company, which
made the defence that she was hurt while
performing an illegal act, that of travelling
for pleasure on Sunday. and was therefore
not entitled to any damages. The Court.
however, salved her wounds to the extent of
$3.50 Judgment and the higher tribunals re-
fused to overturn the decision.
Two New Haven men were arrested and
convicted i'm 1885 on the charge of Sabbath
breaking because they had been riding in q
then new tangled contrivance called a horse
less carriage 'for pleasure" and all of a
Sunday afternoon. AS far as can be learned
this was the last prosecution under the So
called Connecticut blue laws Since that
day there have come many millions of au-
tomobiles into these United States and they
traverse the main travelled roads OF the
stone bound commonwealth with impunity
as well.
New Jersey has on her statute books many
laws which strictly forbid amusements and
work on the First Day. In 1876 an effort
was made to mitigate their severity. The
austerities of Colonial days survive in some
ways. although the more drastic features of
Of the early enactments have been revised.
The regulation OF the observance of the
Sabbath comes under the vice and mmor-
alty act.
This statute as revised in 1916 prohibited