San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-02-04
IS THIS THE LIMIT?

Is This lHE LlMllE
At last we have it. That is, we hope
we have it, but in these days of hysteri-
cal interference with personal rights there
can be no certainty that we have come
to the end of things. However, it seems
as though this must be the end because
there is little chance of going further.
Up in New Hampshire, a member Of
the legislature has introduced bill which,
if it is enacted into law, will make it
compulsory for the people of that state
to sleep eight hours in every twenty-four.
Mind you, the amiable gentleman does
not suggest that the residents of the
Granite State remain in bed for eight
hours. He says they must sleep for eight
hours. If they awaken during any period
of the eight hours they must, presumably,
lie in bed until they have slept enough to
make up for the period during which they
were awake.
What makes this bill the more inter-
esting is the fact that there are no loop
holes OF any kind provided. The people
of New Hampshire must sleep eight
hours" If for instance, man suffers
a broken leg and the pain keep him awake,
that is no business of the state. He must
remain there and make up his over time
or rather his under time. No provision
is made. for the average adult on the
morning of the Fourth of July when the
small boys with their pestilent protesta-
tons of patriotism awaken everybody on
earth with their firecrackers, their can
non and their yelpings and hollerings. If
the adult person does not find himself
able to sleep through the din of the very
early morning he must lie there until he
makes things even. A fine chance he
will have to do that on the Fourth Of
July. He will probably be compelled to
remain in bed all of the Fourth and all Of
the Fifth besides.
And as for the boy who has upset the
legal system of the state with his uproar
on the morning of the Fourth, there is
woe for him. He must go to bed so early
on the night of the Third that he will
have his average already established when
lie turns himself loose on the morning of
the Fourth. There is no escape for the
boy. It's bed and eight hours sleep for
him.
The teething baby is given no latitude
at all. He or she as the case may be,
must sleep for eight hours straight or
presumably go to jail unless somebody
executes bond. Then how about the
fond parent who has tramped the floor
toting that teething infant with wonder in
his mind, despair in his heart and poten-
tial murder in his soul? Does he get a
chance for exemption? He does not. He
must sleep his eight hours. Excuses get
him nothing. Heaven knows that he
would have been happy to obey the law if
the small fry had permitted, but the law
is the law. It's el .calabuso for the old
man if the eight hours is not slept UP.
All this may seem funny to some folks
but it must not be forgotten that this
bill was introduced in sober, good faith
in the New Hampshire legislature and its
sponsor is making an earnest effort tc
have it enacted into law. Ridiculous as
it may b and as it undoubtedly is, il
is but another eXcrescence of the tendency
that seems to have taken possession o.
lawmakers in this country to interfere
with the rights of the people
Too many laws breed trouble as seri
Gus and as certainly as do the absence o.
laws. The American people are being
bossed, hectored and bullied at every turr
by people who have become possessed O
mania to interfere with personal priv
lege or who desire to take it away en-
tirely. There will surely be a reaction il
time and we will be fortunate if tina
reaction does not take the form Of al
orgy of disregard and reputation of law
that are really wise and necessary.