Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-11
COMING OF FALL REEVES
SUNDAY LAW AGITATION
Pressure From New York Group Ex-
pected to Be Brought Against
Sabbath Activities in Capital.

| The Lords Day Alliance sponsored
! the Landlord bill. which failed in the
last Congress after receiving a favor
able report from the subcommittee
which held hearings on it in the
House The signs point to the fact
that the Lords Day Alliance Will
sponsor a similar bill in the next ses-
sion of Congress, and will make its
plans and direct its campaign indie
pendent of Washington clergymen or
1 laymen.
This is a case where it is difficult to
| find the alleged powerful church
| lobby" popularity supposed to railroad
| through Congress the measures of re-
form upon which the churches are
agreed in principle. In this case the
| Lords Day Alliance of New York, and
principally DIR. Bowiby, constitutes
| the powerful church lobby" For
the Lords Day Alliance seemingly has
taken the responsibility for having the
District bill enacted. The wishes of
the people of the District are not at
all important.
The history of the participation and
eventual leadership of the Lords Day
Alliance of New York in the fight for
a District Sunday closing law cannot
be set down here in chronological
order, nor can it be guaranteed as ac-
curate in detail, for accounts differ.
But several years ago some one de-
cided that as the residents of the Dis
trict were not making any appreciate
progress in obtaining such a law for
the District, and as there seemed to be
no unanimity of opinion on the mat
ter in the District, the time had
arrived to get action through the Ma
tional Lords Day Alliance and DR..
Bowlby. 81
Meeting was Called.
A meeting was held to organize a
local committee, to which the presi-
dent, at that time, of the Washington
Federation of Churches, was invited.
1t is understood that he attended. Be.
fore another meeting of the committee
was held a new president of the Wash
ington Federation of Churches was
elected, but instead of sending the in
vitation to the new president, an in
vitation was, sent to the old president.
Therefore the new president did not
attend. AT any rate, there seems to
be agreement on the fact that the
Washington Federation of Churches
was not invited officially to participate
in the movement being launched to Sc
cure the Sunday closing law. Later
there was some talk of the formation
by the Federation of Churches of a
committee Of one hundred" promi-
nent citizens of Washington who
would meet on the subject of q Sun
day closing law for the District, and
which would work in harmony with
the Lords Day Alliance in getting one
through Congress. provided there was
found to be demand for such legis-
iation here. For some reason the com
mittee of one hundred was never ap-
so the Lords Day Alliance
took the reins and has held them |
more or less since and has gone for |
ward with its plans for the coming |
Winter without consulting the local |
pastors or asking their help.
Several reasons are advanced con.
corning the difference of opinion which |
now exists between the |
Federation of Churches
and the Lords Day Alliance. One is
that the Washington Federation of
Churches has taken the Christian at
titude of keeping its hands off rather
than to endanger the success of the
measures by offering advice which
may not be accepted. Another reason
is that the Washington Federation of
Churches does not relish the idea of
w
ton and ride roughshod over Washing.
tonians in trying to get bill through
Congress which affects Washingto-
mans alone. Still another opinion is
that the local pastors feel that they
nave never been invited to join the
movement actively, and they have no
intention of butting in where they are
not invited. A very unkind view of
the matter expressed by an official of
the Lords Day Alliance is that there
is certain amount of human jealousy
over the question of who should be
VINO and why in managing the cam.
paign.
At any rate the Lords Day Alliance
at present is playing a lone hand.
The question of what law will be
sought at the coming session of Con.
gress has not come before the law and
legislation committee of the Wash
ington Federation of Churches. Later
there will be meeting of this com.
m1ttee at which the subject may be
preached. Later there will be an at.
tempt, 1t is understood, to secure the
opinion of Washington church mem
bers on what law, if any, they desire.
Pressure From Outside.
But the Lords Day Alliance is not
Idle. Recently meeting of a COM
mlttee to discuss Sunday closing leg
lslation for the District was held in
pittsburgh; attended by two repre-
sentatives from the District, neither
OF whom is affiliated with the Wash
lngton organization of churches or
pastors. 1t is frankly stated by Off.
Gals of the Lords Day Alliance that
pressure for the bill at the coming
session of Congress will not come
from Washington. There are no
voters in Washington, so the pressure
That they can exert upon a Congress.
man lacks certain force. The pres.
sure for the bill will come from the
districts which send Congressmen to
washington. The good people in
these districts have been receiving the
literature, and they have been hear.
ing the speakers sent out by the Ma
tlonal Lords Day Alliance. They are
being urged to write, to telegraph If
need be, to their Congressman. They
are being told that the National Cant.
tai, OF all places, lacks a Sunday OBJ.
servance law, They are being urged
to do something about it. And unt
doubtedly they will. 10
While all this is going on, nothing
apparently is being done in Washing.
ton toward solidifying the sentiments
or those who naturally would indorse
Sunday closing law here. If the bill
reaches a hearing again +E,iS ,,oo. ~