The New York herald., 1922-01-30
House Measure Marks Opening
of New Drive by Blue
Law Reformers.
MOST SEVERE OF ALL
Applies Only to District, but
I Is to Be Model for States
Ants Line Up for Fight.
Special Dispatch 10 THE New York HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington. ID. C.. Jam. 20

other drive on Congress. They have
centered their attention upon COM
pulsory Sunday observance bill for the
District of Columbia, introduced on
January by Representative Roy G..
Fitzgerald of Dayton, Ohio. which would
close all theaters and other places of
amusement. prohibit sports, and even
make 1t unlawful for any person to labor
himself or employ any one to labor on
Sunday except upon works of neces-
sity and charity"
The bill is the most severe of its kind
yet offered in either branch of Congress.
1t is intended frankly as the opening
wedge in a campaign to compel Sunday
observance by law throughout the
United States in accordance with the
ideas OF the blue law reformers.
Representative Fitzgerald introduced
the bnl at the instigation of the Pastors
Federation of Washington City, the
Lords Day Alliance, the National Re-
form Association and the Methodist
Board of Temperance and Moral Re-
form. All of the professional reformers
of the country are getting behind 1t. 1t
has been referred to the Committee on
the District of Columbia, and within
few weeks it is likely that hearings
will be granted that the reformers may
have an opportunity to present their
Views In public.
VIII Keep Up the Fight.
One OF the features of the measure
is that it provides no exemptions for
those who observe another day than
Sunday as a day Of worship and rest.
Persons. of the Jewish faith and MEM
hers of the Seventh Day Adventist
Church therefore would have to observe
two days each week IL this bill should
be enacted into law
1t is not likely that the bill will re-
ccive favorable consideration by the
committee or that it will be passed by
either the House or Senate. even II II
should be favorably reported by that
committee. But this situation does not
discourage the reformers. They have
launched their campaign and say they
intend TO keep pushing.
The character of the measure may be
seen from the fact that 1t provides
penalties for violation ranging from 80
to $500 fine. with six months In jail
This is the third bill of that general
character that has been introduced IN
Coreress at this session, but the other
two are less sweeping. The Fitzgerald
bill is entitled III. r. 9753-A bill to
secure Sunday as a day of rest in the
District of Columbia
Text Of the Measure.
Because II is to be used as a model
for similar measures to be urged upon
State legislatures all over the nation.
the text of the bill Is here given in full
Section BE II enacted by the
Senate and House OF Representatives OF
the United States Of America in Con-
gress assembled. That from and after
the passage of this act 1t shall be un-
lawful In the District of Columbia for
any person to labor or to employ any
person to labor or to pursue any trade
or secular business on the Lords Day.
commonly called Sunday. works OF
necessity and charity always excepted.
Section 2-That from and after the
passage of this act it shall be unlawful
in the District of Columbia to keep open
or use for secular purposes any dancing
saloon. theater, bowling alley, place OF
public assembly or amusement for sec
ular purposes, or to engage In unlaw-
full sports on the Lords day. commonly
called Sunday.
Section 3-That from and after the
passage Of this act IL shall be unlawfui
in the District of Columbia for any
person, firm, corporation or any Of their
agents, directors or officers to require
or permit any employees engaged in
works of necessity or charity excepting
in household service to work on the
Lords day. commonly called Sunday.
81 linz Ia a
during a period of twenty-four consecu-
tive hours he or 1t shall neither require
nor permit such employees to work In
his or its employ.
"Section 4--That any person who
shall violate any of the provisions of this
act shall, on conviction thereof. be
punished by a fine of not less than 50
nor more than $50 for the frst oHense
and for each subsequent offense by a
fine of not less than s25 nor more than
$500. or by both fine and Imprisonment
in the Jail of the District of Columbia
for period OF not less than one month
or more than six months, in the discre-
tion of the court.
Section 5--That all prosecutions for
violation of this act shall be in the
Police Court of the District of Columbia"
Opponents Get Busy.
The Religious Liberty Association and
the Anti Blue Law League OF America
are planning to meet the issue in a
vigorous opposition campaign. Their
contention is that religious legislation
OF this nature should be turned down
with an overwhelming defeat and that
human rights and religious liberty are
in danger"
In discussing the measure. c. s. Long
acre. general secretary OF the Religious
Liberty Association. said:
Evidently Dr. Bowlby. the secretary
OF the Lords Day Alliance. who Is
backing this drastic Sunday bill, Is try
ing 10 make good hts threat that hs
proposed by legislation to mako u
easier for people TO go TO church. Ht
said: III we take away a mans motor
car. his golf sticks. his Sunday news
.-srer, his horses. his pleasure steam
ship, amusement houses and parks and
prohibit him from playing outdoor
games or witnessing field sports he will
naturally drift back to church,"
''If this bill becomes "a law" contin-
ued Mr.. Longacre, 1T will transport US
back TO the Puritan times when they
, imprisoned the cat for catching mice
on Sunday. when they put husbands In
the stocks for kissing their wives on
Sunday and when they rolled their cider
( barrels out Of the cellars because they
cttn