BRIGHTER SUNDAYS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 96, 24 April 1942, Page 6

BRIGHTER SUNDAYS

CAMPAIGN IN SYDNEY

FILM PROGRAMMES URGED

(0.C.) ■ • SYDNEY, April 15. Sydney is the centre of a violent l . campaign to enliven Sundays in Australian cities for American and ; Australian troops on weekend , leave. ■ The.- States administer the Sunday Observance Acts which prohibit the opening of theatres and" : playing of organised games. The New South Wales. Chief Secretary,. Mr. Baddeley, I has set up a committee to arrange en- < tertainment for the troops, but he will not amend the law permitting picture shows to open. ' .. "'■ A strong newspaper campaign fav-' ouririg- amendment of the law is widely supported by many sections of the public. American and' Australian military authorities are among those who want-brighter. Sundays. The chief U.S.. army chaplain, Major J. E. Kinney, hinted that the U.S. army might establish its own cinema circuit" to provide Sunday films for • its troops, unless the Australian authorities provided Sunday entertainments. "I think it will promote efficiency of troops if they can have the normal life they know in the United States," he said. "There the movies are open on Sundays with the approval of nearly all religious bodies in practically every town and city. The boys are going to find some place to spend their money arid leisure time.. It is a case of either wholesome recreation or slygrogs shops. I think the soldier should be allowed to take a lady friend to Sunday shows." - SEVEN-DAY WORKING WEEK. An Australian military officer said: "If hostilities begin in Australia we shall forget all about Sunday: being a day of rest and quiet. - What wowsers and other righteous-thinking people forget is that there is no' Sunday in the Army;, we fight arid work- seven days a week.. And because of that:we work.our leave passes on a roster system seven days a week. It is' unfair to the man' off on Sunday to deprive him of the privileges his cobber enjoys earlier in the week. In .any- case, something will have to be done for battle-weary troops who will flock to the cities at weekends. If the authorities stand in the way, then the men will force the issue and demand amusement, and plenty of it." American and Australian soldiers questioned in the street said they were always bored on Sunday leave. Those without relatives or friends had nothing to do but stand at street corners, join a two-up school, in a park until chased out by police, or go to the zoo. The zoo was .fine, but only for one visit.' Greatest opposition to a brighter Sunday comes from the churches, but many clergymen have expressed personal views in favour of opening picture theatres after church hours. The Theatrical Employees' Union is against opening theatres, but purely because they do not want to work on Sundays. The Lord Mayor of Sydney, Alderman S. S.. Crick, has arranged a series of concerts at the-Town Hall for Allied troops, starting next Sunday. Concerts, however, are unlikely to cater for the tastes of all the men.