The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-04-12
DARR ASSA|LS
BLUE LAWS

Passage of Sunday closing laws
for the Capital would result in
more crime and the opening of vice
ridden resorts outside of the Dis
trict, Charles w. Darr, represent
ing the washington Chamber of
Commerce, declared today when
hearings were reopened by che
judiciary subcommittee of the
House District Committee.
Before a crowd of more than 500
who repeatedly interrupted him by
applauding loudly, Mr.. Darr spoke
on behalf of the chamber in opposi.
ton to blue laws for the District.
This committee is Iegislating for
the District and no other part Ut
the nation" Mr.. Darr said. I'VE
feel that it is our duty to come
here and say plainly that We do
not want this bill passed. be-
lieve / can say this for IS to 80
per cent of the people of the Dis
trict
Robs People Of Pleasures
Passage of this bill would be the
first step toward union Of church
and state. The bill on its face is
for the purpose OF indirectly COM
polling the people to attend church.
'It is as necessary to keep up
the morale Of the people in peace
as we'll as in wartime. and this bill,
robbing them of their innocent
pleasures and recreations, would de-
stroy their morale. People have a
perfect right to pleasures that would
not interfere with the rights OF
others or with the community.
IF you pass this bill there will
not be as many people attending
church as there are at present.
Hundreds OF people who now go TO
church would refuse to go because
they do not wish to be driven. IL
a man does not go to church be-
cause of his honest desire to wOr-
ship. you can never drive him there
by law.
Like VOlstead Act
THE effect of this bill would be
the same as that of the Volstead
act. know many men who never
drank before prohibition who drink
now whenever they can get 1t.
eff you close the theaters and the
moving pictures you will find an
immediate increase in the number
of petting parties which now alarm
the community. Young people can't
pet in the theaters. If they are
denied the right to go to theaters
they will find other pleasures far
more harmful.
Close these innocent places Of
amusement and you will find a
mushroom growth of resorts outside
the District, where young people
will find their way to ruin. There
Is a lot of morality as well rs
morale in this question"
100 Out of 500 Opposed
Joseph II. Burkhardt, of the Wash
ington Board Of Trade, also vigOr-
ousIy opposed the bill. Out of 500
members OF the board, who voted
on the question, he said, 1856 were
opposed to these bills.
Representative William &. Lark.
ford of Georgia, explained to the
committe the provisions of his new
Sunday closing bill, which goes into
detail regarding business and amuse-
ments which would be closed.
He was sharply quetioned by
members of the committee regarding
certain exemptions in the bill.
"You permit the sale of cigars in
drug stores" Representative Ralph
C. Gilbert of Kentucky declared.
stores to be open? Why do you
discriminate against them?"
Representative Robert G. Houston
of Delaware declared that certain
amount of recreation Is necessary
to public welfare. Representative
Gilbert then stated that in country
districts where people lived outdoor
lives Sunday sport might not be
necessary to their health, but In the
cities Sunday often was the only
day people might enjoy themselves
in the open. ....-.....-....-.-,
Representative Houston advocated