New Britain herald., 1925-06-16
SUNDAY CLOSING,

SUNDAY CLOSING.
 The mayor is to be commented for giving citizens a clear comprehen- sion of the sunday store closing Sit uatIon and recoun.ing his attempt 10 help in bringing a systematic ob- servance of the spirit of the day, while at the same time not eliminat- ing Sunday service by certain out lying shops altogether
 Acting upon the initiative of mer- chants themselves, the mayor ap- pears to approve of their plan to re- main open for few hours each Sun 1 day morning. In endeavoring to ss- sist the small storekeepers in the outlying section to bring more satis- factory conditions into their calling |. while not curtailing the conveniences . of that portion of the public which | relies upon them for small supplies Of necessities on Sunday, the mayor Is manifestly steering middle course. He is attempting to help the storekeepers gain more reasonable hours upon a day ostensibly meant for rest and recreation while at the same time giving that part of the public which patronizes them a con- tlHuance of the convenience in abridged form,
 There has been much discusson about Sunday closing outside of ad- ministration and civic circles. Some storekeepers who cater to small lux ury sales In addition to the sales of necessities, do not seem to be in agreement upon the question. It is evident that these want to keep open on Sunday because they believe it a good day to secure business without the competition Of the larger stores, which remain closed on Sunday of their own accord. It is for the same reason that they remain open at night while their larger competitors close in the late afternoon.
 Stores that remain open late at night and all day on Sunday have an apparent advantage in so doing, but there can be little question that the stores which observe reasonable hours are serving most of the pub ic. The owners and organizations controlling stores doing a large-scale business may be suffering slightly rom the uncontrolled long-hour competition of the others, but per- haps not enough to cause worry while they are out automobiling on Sundays and their competitors are working.
 The effort Of some small store keepers to instigate a system where by other small storekeepers will lei up on the competition that brings with 1t unreasonable long hours, k sommendabIe in itself and the mayor does well to further their aims. Ono need not be a so-called "crank' up. on the subject of Sunday observance to realize that turning the day into big bushes day can be vastly over. done, especially in its relation tc types of business that are not essen tially an all-day Sunday proposition
 The old saying, "the way to pro ceed is to proceed" hereby applies Let those storekeepers who hay some regard for the meaning of tn day and the spirit of fairness { themselves close for most of the day as some are already doing, Thei customers will quickly adapt them selves 10 their hours. The businet of the others may not amount to 5 much as they think And there this 10 take into considerations large part of the public which doe not approve of unnecessary sunda business may think more of ther the remainder of the week. Rigf now the largest part Of the publ does not purchase more than 30 drinks, ice cream, smoking article the newspapers or gasoline on Sur days, Except for the gasoline supp business this trade is so circun scribed that 10 one not in the bus ness it seems folly for dozens norekeepers to be competing for 1T the mayor can do his bit 10 col vince some of the rccaIcitrants
 adopt more reasonable hours he VI
 be doing a public service.
 POPULATION RACE