Evening star., 1954-01-15
Blue Law Scare
Dies Downin
Police Won't Swear
Warrants Sunday,
Attorney Declares

Warrants Sunday,
Attorney Declares
A day-long furry over revival
in Montgomery County Of police
enforcement Of Maryland blue
laws was ended abruptly yester-
day by States Attorney Walter
w. Dawson.
mo policeman will swear out
warrant for a blue-law VIOLA
tion," Mr.. Dawson declared.
The States attorney further
cleared the air by stating that
police next Sunday will not make
the rounds of business houses
operating in violation of the
controversial laws.
Depends on Warrants.
Mr.. Dawson said his Office
would fulfill its obligations to en-
force all the laws. however, by
prosecuting any blue-law case
on which a warrant Is sworn out
by a private citizen.
That means you can clean
your sidewalk Sunday unless
your neighbor objects. Then it
may cost you IS if he takes you
to court.
And you can go shedding or
play some other sport without
fear Of your neighbors as long as
you do it between and 6 pm.
and stay at least 100 yards away
from a church. The blue laws
have been amended to permit
Montgomery County residents to
engage in an occasional sporting
event on Sunday afternoon.
Other extreme interpretations
OF blue laws could forbid any,
one from fishing or hunting and
limit tennis. croquet and golf to
four hours between 2 and 6 pm,
In fact, J. Hodge Smith, assist
ant States attorney. said a Bal
timore professor who had been
painting his window sill on Sum-
day was convicted of a blue-law
violation several years ago when
a neighbor reported him to police.
Began With misunderstanding.
Montgomery police felt Mr..
Dawson had ordered a crack
down. Mr.. Dawson said it was
a misunderstanding.
Last Sunday police, acting on
what they believed were Mr..
Dawson's orders, gave out
warnings to businessmen and
said that this Sunday they
would be around again to en-
force the Sunday closing law.
The blue laws permit only the
Sunday retail sale of drugs,
candy. food, tobacco. gasoline
and newspapers. The law also
permits residents to attend
movies between 2 and pm.
The breakdown. police say,
would have hit hardest at auto
wash businesses. used car deal
ers, hardware and appliance
stores and small stores in OUT
lying community shopping
centers.
If enforced, the controversial
law also probably would have hit
one of Montgomery's biggest
businesses. the showing and sale
of houses on Sunday.
The blue laws not only specify
exactly what businesses can
operate. but also state in broad
terms that mo person whatso-
ever shall work or do bodily
labor on the Lords day, COM
monty called Sunday"
First passed in 1923, the blue
laws were re-enacted in 1860 and
1888.
Protests Pour In.
Announcement that Mont
gomery County's proposed en-
forcement program had fizzled
was made after telephone calls
from irate businessmen and resi-
dents flooded police stations, the
State attorneys Office and the
county attorneys Office.
The enforcement program an
nouncement also brought a blast
on Sunday legislation" from the
Rev. w. H. Branson, president
of the General Conference of
Seventh-day Adventists. He
scored the blue laws as uncon-
stitutional and said enforced rest
on Sunday would deprive Ad-
ventist church members of a
portion of their livelihood.
Some businessmen, like a Sill
yer Spring auto wash man, said
the enforcement program would
have put them out of business in
a short time.
But it was principally the
businessmen and churchgoers
who claimed their services were
being interrupted by noisy near
by stores that brought on Mr..
Dawson's revised interest in the
blue laws.
The Silver Spring Board of
Trade last fall adopted a resolu-
ton opposing the Sunday OPEN
ing of all but essential busl-
nesses. And some hardware and
dealers have COM
planned of the Sunday opening
of some of their competitors.