MR. UPTON SINCLAIR.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1230, 12 September 1911, Page 6

MR. UPTON SINCLAIR.

i TEEM IN GAOL FOE BEEAKING . THE "BLUE LAW." Tho old puritanical ordinances, nicktiamcd tho "Blue Laws" because of the general melancholy they create by forbidding all manner of amusements on • the Sabbath, were invoked at Wilmington, Delaware, recently, with the result that Mr. Upton Sinclair, tho Socialist author, nnd nine members of the "Single-tax Colony," of which he is chief, are to-day breaking stones in gaol. Tho offence of which the reformers were convicted lay in' tho fact thnt on the previous Sunday they played tennis and polf in; the grounds of their settlement at Arden, Delaware. The scene in Court when Mr. Sinclair nnd his fraternity were haled before the magistrate was replete with humour. The prosecutoT, Mr. Gcorgo Brown, was an "Anarchist philosopher," who tho -week before had been sentenced to five days' imprisonment for disturbing a single-tax meeting at which Mr. Sinclair presided. Mr,. Brown's object was' admittedly revenge. Ho told the magistrate that as ho languished in gaol the Sabbath peace was destroyed by the noise the defendants made over tennis and golf. "They shouted and yelled unconscionably," the Anarchist explained, "and convi.oed me that tho Blue Laws are justified." Mr. Sinclair appeared with Mr. Don Stephens, tho millionaire founder of tho colony, on one side,--Mr. Fred Steinline, an ice cream vendor, on the other side of him, while seven professors and lawyers, who' are' also members of tho settlement, brought up tho rear. All .refused to pay tho fine of lGs. imposed by tho magistrate, and were consequently sentenced to eighteen hours' imprisonment. A doubly term of thirty-six hours was inflicted on Mr. Sleinline, who was convicted of selling ico croam to his brother members. Before beginning his term in gaol, Mr. Sinclair treated a constable and all tho wi.soncrs to ice cream. As he is a vegetarian, he decided not to eat the prison fare. The prison authorities refused to grant the violators of tho Sunday laws any privileges, with the result that Mr. Sinclair fasted for thirty-six hours. He and the other prisoners were compelled l o take a bath, don prison clothes, and break stones. They were released late next afternoon, 'when Mr. Sinclair announced his intention of prosecuting several judges and lawyers, as well as tho Public Prosecutor, whom, he says, he recently observed playing tennis at a country club on tho Sabbath morning,