Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1921-04-20
TO STOP SUNDAY MOVIE?
MANAGER BROWN ARRESTED
UNDER BLUE LAW
Law Passed in 1S4S Invoked to Put
Quietus on Sunday Amusement
in Viroqua

On Saturday afternoon, papers were
served on Manager Brown of the Star
Theatre because of operation of his
picture show on Sunday. Petitions
bearing the names of those opposed to
Sunday movies were first filed with
District Attorney Heinz, few DAYS
later formal complaint being lodged
with the district attorney against Mr..
Brown. The case will be tried at the
Court House on Tuesday, April 26, be-
fore Judge Mahoney, and viii be a
jury trial.
The Censor has no word of censure
for those who have been instrumental
in bringing this case to trial They
are sincere and conscientious, doing
their duty as they see it, but we do
wish to point out several features of
the. situation which they may not have
considered.
Law is a crystalized expression of
the will of the majority. The Ameri-
can republic is founded upon the sol
i'd rock Of majority rule coupled with
personal liberty. The Blue law was
probably an expression of the viii of
the majority when it was passed over
half century ago. That it no longer
expresses majority will, must be con-
coded by its most ardent advocates,
we believe. Therefore, while it is still
technically law, it is no longer law in
ia true American sense. 1t violates
the fundamental American principle
majority rule. 1t permits minority
to drag festh an obsolete law and inn
press its viii upon the large majority.
OR constitution guarantees to ev-
cry individual the right of freedom
of action or personal liberty, yet this
law if followed to its logical conclu-
sions would close the restaurants, pro-
hibit Sunday baseball, driving of pleas
ure cars, picnic parties, trap shoots,
fishing hunting every manner of work,
etc, etc, ad nassau ad infinitum. The
law permits only necessary Sunday ac-
tivities- and there are mighty few
if strict Interpretation is used.
The elimination of Sunday movies is
in sense discrimination against the
farming country around our city. The
average substantial young farmer
around Viroqua owns car. He likes
to lay aside farming cares Sunday
afternoon; get into his car and take
a spin with his family or sweetheart;
attend the ball game; have lunch or
ice cream at the restaurant; attend
the movie in the evening and drive
home contented with a few hours of
clean recreation and looking forward
to repetition on the following Sun
hday. Look over the blocks of cars
around the Star Theatre any good
Sunday evening If you think this over
drawn. Is stopping the movies fair
to our young farmer friends The
Censor thinks not.
The whole agitation against movies
is based upon a false assumption
that their influence upon American
life is unwholesome. Let any one WHO
makes such charge sit through such
films as "The Miracle Man." or Hum
oresque" or the dozens Of other mas
iterpieces which burn home upon the
iheaft and sotd morals as strong as
any sermon. Let them ask themsel-
yes if they ever saw a motion picture
/ play wherein wrong triumphed and
right was trailed in the dust! It Is
conceded that there has been much
trash and rottenness in the movies
but the tendency is steadily away from
I this class of film, and masterpieces
lare being produced daily from all the
classics of literature, bringing their
powerful moral lessons home to UNI
counted thousands. The movie ranks
with the automobile, the airplane and
the wireless in its broadening and up
lifting influence upon America and
the world. We doubt if any UMPIRE
JUDGED jury will decide otherwise.