Evening star., 1943-05-09
United States Has No
National Holiday
BN Frederic J. Hdskt7,.

llCIle or nothing because OF the great
demand for emergency work and because
OF the labor shortage in general, this is
the season Of the year when the thoughts
OF most people turn to such occasions
because they associate summer holidays
with vacations. Some are disappointed
because there are so few official holi-
days in the United States compared
with other countries. especially the
Latin American republics. In certain
sections OF the southern part of the
Western Hemisphere, for instance, busi-
nessmen from the North often find it
difficult to get any business done.
Actually there are a great many holi-
days IN the United States, but they are
chiefly local. It is notable fact that
this is the one important country of the
world which has no national holiday,
There is widespread belief that July 4
is national holiday, and it is observed
as such, but there never has been an act
of Congress declaring that or any other
date national holiday. An act of the
F1fty-third Congress made Labor Day
public holiday, but that act applies only
to the District of Columbia. The same is
true of Armistice Day.
Also a section of the old National
Banking Act provided that national
banks could close only on certain specl-
fled days such as Christmas July and a
number of other recognized holidays, but
the act ooes not declare these to be ma
tional holidays. 1t might be said that
Thanksgiving Day should be regarded as
national holiday. 1t is proclaimed by
the President of the United States as
day on which the American people
should give thanks for their blessings,
but there is no act of Congress requiring
the proclamation. The President could
omit it at will, and should, he do so, the
customary last Thursday in November
could not be regarded as holiday, legal
or otherwise.
The Legislatures of the States and
Territories declare legal or public holi-
days. Starting the year it is found that
all of them have declared New Year
Day to be legal holiday. Then on Feb
ruary II comes Lincolns birthday, but
legally it is a local affair In most but
not all Northern States the date is
legally a holiday. Also in some South
ern States the holiday is observed. Mis-
souri,, which was sharply divided in Civil
| War sentiment and sent many men into
the Confederate ranks has made Lin
| coins birthday legal holiday and so
have Tennessee, Kentucky and num-
| ber of other States. All States and Ter
ritories, however, have made Washing
tons birthday, February %, legal pub
lie holiday.
| The Legislatures of nine States have
made Good Friday a legal holiday. In
| several other States the Governors some
times issue proclamations calling upon
the people to pray and fast 1t might be
thought that March in the past and
January 20 now would have been legal
lied as holiday In all other important
countries the day which inaugurates the
rule of new king, president or other
supreme chief is holiday, but not in
| the United States.
Memorial Day, May 30, has been legal
lied nearly everywhere, even in several
Southern States. Alabama, Georgia,
Louisiana, Mississippi and the Carolinas
are the exceptions. These and other
Southern States have Confederate memo
rial days but not all falling on the same
date. The national Memorial Day is not
observed to the same extent the Confed-
crate memorial days are.
General election day in November is a
legal holiday in many States and SO is
| Doy fIa oft
legislative action or Governors procla-
nation. Every State and Territory has
legalized Christmas as holiday.
Most of the people of the country
never have heard of long list OF other
holidays, yet locally they are often great
occasions. For example, Louisiana
makes much of the anniversary Of the
| Battle of New Orleans on January 8.
| Throughout the South, Robert E. Lees
| birthday, January 10, is observed. While
the North is celebrating Lincoln's BIRTH
| day on February IL, Georgia is celebrat-
ing the landing of Oglethorpe. On March
| 4, Pennsylvania celebrates the granting
| of its charter.
Although Al States had entered the
Union before Arizona, without making
much ado about it, this last to be ad-
mitted to Statehood has made February
IA Admission Day and declared it legal
holiday. California and Nevada also
have admission days.
March 2 is Texas flag day, ais on
Shrove Tuesday, Alabama, Florida AID
Louisiana make it legal holiday of
| Mardi Gras. On March Is, Maryland
Day is celebrated in that State, and on
March 20 Alaska makes holiday on
Seward Day, Seward being the Secretary
Of State who negotiated the purchase of
Carolina celebrates the passage of the
Halifax independence Resolution, and
the next day Alabama makes a legal hol-
iday to observe the birthday of Thomas
| Jefferson.
Maine and Massachusetts, have de-
clared April 10 Patriots Day, and in
Texas April 81 is observed as the ami
versary of the Battle of San Jacinto. In
North Carolina, May 20 is set aside to
celebrate the anniversary of the signing
OF the Mecklenburg Declaration of In
dependence, document which preceded
| the Philadelphia one. Hawaii has an in
teresting legal holiday on June II. It Is
Kamehameha Day in honor of the most
noted King of the islands. June IS Is
| Pioneer Day in Idaho, while on July 13
Tennessee honors Gen. Forrest, the great
Confederate cavalry leader Utah's Pio-
neer Day is July "a, while on August |