A “BLUE SUNDAY.”

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 17 May 1926, Page 9

A “BLUE SUNDAY.”

NO WORK: NO AMUSEMENTS. An extraordinary campaign, wi{n widespread ramifications, backed uy powerful Church organisations, is now under weigh m America lor the enact-, merit or tounday ’‘Blue Laws ' by the united States Congress and State Legis datures. The aim of the proposed legislation is to pioliioit trie operation of raiovay trains, die printing and distribution of newspapers, telegraphing and telephoning, theatres, and otiier amusements, and the performance or any labour on Sunday. The ieaders in tire campaign are the Lord's Day Ailrance and tne Metfrodrst Sabbath Crusade. Under the direction of these organisations, strict Sunday Observance Bills Ate being pressed in the State Legislatures now rn session, while Congress is being urged- to pass similar laws applying to the- District of Columbia and inter-State transportation

The Methodist Sabbath Crusade has already been given a. hearing by the Senate Committee, at which the crusaders submitted pleas for legislation prolii citing all forms of labour on Sunday in the national capital. The propose not only to enforce Sunday observance by statute in Washington, but to furnish an example of enforced piety to other communities and a. model of legislation necessary to attain the desired end. The Bill introduced into the House ol Representatives already prohibits dancing, moving picture and other theatres, bowling, 'and other commercialised sports on Sunday, offenders to be punished by fines up to £IOO and imprisonment up to six months. Another bill calls for the closing of barbers’ shops on Sunday in Washington. According to a memorial presented t-o the Senate by Mr. Noah W. Cooper, chairman of the Methodist Sabbath Crusade, America is rapidly going xo the dogs morally as a result of the decay of Sunday observance. The memorial says: We insist that our national Sabbath is being fast destroyed. Nearly 10,003,000 people are working on Sunday m America, in the railways, express companies, teleghaplis, shipping, newspapers, stores, and factories. Our inter-State commerce, the biggest in the world, lias no Sabbath. Congress, is its civic guardian. About 20,000,000 Sunday newspapers are printed, shipped, sold, patronised, and read every Sunday through inter-State commerce. This traffic goes through every State, a Sabbath-polluting, nation-destroying stream of evil.

Our capital city, once a Sabbathkeeper, now is an evi] example of Sab-bath-breaking that is polluting our nation. Every one of these 200,009,GCU Sunday papers is like a wicked pied piper of Hamelin, seducing our children, churchmen, and citizens to ruin through Sabbath-breaking. Every one of these 2500 Sunday trams is tooting America’s downfall,* sending America to- ruin. These Sunday trains and papers combine much of the brains and money of America, and they are tearing down America’s partnership with God. They are causing 1,000,OCX) to work on Sunday. The Church must awake and lead, or perish. Opposing the Blue Law Crusade or these church organisations is another church organisation, the Religious Liberty Association of Seventh Day Adventists, whose Sabbath is Saturday. The Adventists have been the principal victims of the enforcement of Sunday Blue Laws in various parts of the country, and have been compelled to organise to defend themselves from persecution. The Religious Liberty Association is fighting the Sunday observance Legislation pending in Congress and the State Legislation^