functionary intervening between him and the printing press, the movingpicture production, various sports, various amusements, etc.

"The free American was competent to go about his own affairs, making his

own decisions, consulting his own co science, and respecting the rights others. He did not need the mass ( laws which have been put upon him his detriment and to the curtailment his freedom."

Maj. Milton J. Foreman, a leading attorney and decorated World War hero, said:

"I am utterly opposed to the MacMurray bill, or anything of its stamp. You can't make that too emphatic. This proposed bill would breed contempt for all law and morality. It would add to our evils, destroying the entire fabric of national self-respect and decency."

Many lawyers and business men expressed themselves in heated language. Even some of the ministers joined in. their protests against the "blue law." The Rev. George C. Whimsett, of the South Chicago Presbyterian Church, said:

"I see no reason for closing movies and other theaters or forbidding games of sport on Sunday. On Sundays our great parks are alive with men and women, many of them watching games, and it would be a shame to take these pleasures from them."

The manager of the B. B. Shippers' Supply Company, of Chicago, said: "It's a poor idea. It will drive people away from church, instead of to it."

Mr. F. H. Beranhard, editor of the E. M. F. Electrical Year Book, said:

"It's a step backward. We are being deprived more and more of our liberty. Soon we'll be back in the Dark Ages."

Dr. Herman Bundesen, health co missioner of Chicago, said:

"You can't legislate morality, goodness, love of God into a man's soul. I also believe ercise, fresh air, and bodily health are absolut essential, and nothing should be done th would deprive persons of these, which in ma cases can only be obtained on Sunday."

The superintendent of the Juven Protective Association, said:

"I do not believe in such a law-it's i drastic."

Chief of Detectives Michael Hugh said:

"As a policeman, I have always found th such laws make people lawless."

Alderman Thomas F. Byrne, lab leader of the city council of Chicag said:

"The laboring classes would resent such move with all the power at their comma Revolutions have been incited as a result less drastic measures. An attempt is bei made to take us back to the New England di of witchcraft. It is unthinkable such a will be enacted."

Alderman John Johntry said: "Such a measure is always introduced fr a religious standpoint. It must fail." Alderman Dorsey Crowe said: "The proposed Sunday law is against all laws of common sense."

Hon. John A. Piotrowski, State s ator, said:

"I am absolutely against it. It is only farce."

Rev. F. Scott McBride, superinter ent of the Illinois Anti-Saloon Leag said:

Our organization wants it strictly undertood that this proposed legislation is not a art of our program, and we have nothing to lo with it."

Even the small boys and girls grumled at the gloomy prospects, if such a measure should become a law, pointing nt that Lincoln Park in Chicago would e "dead" on Sunday. They couldn't ide the ponies. Romantic couples lamented the fact that they would be unble to rent rowboats in the lagoon, go orseback riding, or hire automobiles for ecreation rides on Sunday. The golfers would not play golf, if they paid a “green ee" on Sunday. No automobile owners would take a trip on Sunday that necessiated the purchasing of gasoline, as all utomobile filling stations had to close Sundays. Even street car riding for leasure, provided the rider paid his are, on Sunday, would be prohibited nder the proposed Sunday law. All mmercialized pleasure would be probited. A person could not eat ice ream or drink Adam's ale, if he ate and rank it for pleasure and paid for it. However, one could attend a baseball ame and root like a wild Indian, on unday, right outside of a church winow where services were held, provided fee were charged for the game, but if fee were charged, the game would be rohibited, even if it were played ten iles in the heart of a forest and without whimper from the spectators. These e some of the inconsistencies and inualities which follow the logic of the ord's Day Alliance program of nonmmercialized amusements.

As a result of the universal opposition om every quarter, except a few politi1 reform preachers and churches, Senor MacMurray suddenly experienced change of heart. According to the nited Press report, Senator MacMury, who introduced the Sunday blue , sought shelter from the tempest mich swept over his head, and quickly ved the "tabling of the bill" in the nate. In making the motion to recall om committee and to kill it, Senator

MacMurray said he had introduced it at the request of Rev. W. S. Fleming, of a Chicago reform organization, without having read it carefully.

Senator MacMurray said:

Personally, I believe that the Christian Sabbath and the Jewish Sabbath day are among the greatest civilizers we have ever known, to say nothing about their religious or moral influence, and I hope that their observance may never grow less. But I have always thought and still think that the manner in which each person should observe Sunday is a question of religious and moral teaching, and not a subject for control by the legislature.

"Mr. Fleming came to me, and handed me a bill, saying that he represented the American Federation of Churches, and that he and his association wanted the bill introduced and wanted me to introduce it. He wanted the bill introduced in its present form and without change, and I consented to introduce the bill, to be marked by request, and to have it referred to a committee without pledging myself personally in any way, and immediately handed the bill to the clerk.

"Now, having made the above clear statement of my position on Sunday laws and on Sunday observance, I wish to move that Senate Bill No. 360 be recalled from the committee on license and miscellany and be laid on the table."

Thus was another religious measure killed which was introduced by request of religious organizations, and yet these political preachers tell us that Sunday laws are not religious.

It seems almost unbelievable that Senator MacMurray should permit himself to be taken in by this politico-religious reform crowd, believing, as he says he does, "that the manner in which each person should observe Sunday is a question of religious and moral teaching, and NOT a subject for control by the legis lature."

Indefensible Act of a Tyrannical Minority

U

NDER the above caption the Sacramento Bee of April 30 printed the following editorial: "After having been for several years a source of inspiration and comfort to thousands of people, the summer Sunday afternoon concerts at the Berkeley Greek Theater are to be discontinued.

"President Barrows, of the University of California, first approved a plan for continuance of these affairs during the coming summer, but a group of Berkeley ministers objected to them as a desecration of the Sabbath, and the president yielded to the ministerial importunity. "The contention of the ministers is that these concerts are a commercialization of the Sabbath, the point being made that, not only is admission charged. but the performers themselves are paid for their work. . . .

"As far as the question of commercialism goes, the ministerial argument, to be logical, will have to be given much greater extension. It will have to contend that no one should work for hire on the Sabbath, no matter who he may be. "In that case, what would become of the ministers themselves, and the flock of organists, soloists, lecturers, and other people who draw money for their Sunday labors?

"Of course, the principle will not be so extended, but if it is not, it is worthless as a principle.

"Moreover, a great many of the musi cians who have been accustomed to play at these Berkeley concerts undoubtedly need the employment so given them.

"It is not as if musicians were regular workers for six days of the week, and either needed or could afford the Sunday rest which by this action they are compelled to take.

"And there is also the delicate, but still fairly debatable question of whether music of the sort which Alfred Hertz has been in the habit of furnishing at these concerts is or is not a spiritual in

fluence of no mean value to the co munities adjacent to the bay.

"The majority of people would thi so, and they have a right to be cons ered, even if they are not heard.

"On the whole, the Bee regards t procedure as an indefensible bit tyranny, completely outside the spi of true Americanism.

"It is one more example of the pow which can be exercised by an organiz minority, regardless of either the opini of the majority or of the question abstract justice.

"It is to be wondered how much long the people of California will continue endure such senseless infringements their rights. their rights. Surely it will not be f ever."

溶

Religious Rows Scored by Secretary Denby

W

E take the following from Associated Press report relat to the speech delivered by S retary Denby of the Navy Departm at a meeting in Washington recent "Nothing more dangerous to the e tinued mental and spiritual health the Republic could well be conceive than the recrudescence of certain for of secret organizations, apparently signed to supersede law and enfo their will.'

"When any community, or body men or women within a communi Mr. Denby continued, 'disregard orderly processes of the law, a blow struck at the roots of the Republic. pression does not always take the fr of enforced labor or any of the acts. curity from which we are guaranteed the first ten Amendments to the Con tution, the so-called Bill of Rights. ligious freedom is the most sacred I session of free peoples. Yet if we to believe the tales told with such se ing truth and so frequently, religi freedom itself is menaced in eer parts of this country.

Dr. Stidger's subject is "The OneHour Service." He believes that the

Sunday service should be limited to sixty minutes, and gives his schedule, of which he says, "We have tried it out for two summers during June, July, and August." It has, he avers, been found "spiritual," "interesting," "draws the crowds," and "is helpful."

In defending his advocacy of a short Sunday service Dr. Stidger says in part:

"This service has a distinct advertising value because it is so unusual. The way some preachers waste other people's time is shockingly appalling to me. Whatever faults I may have, I do not blame myself with a lack of respect for the other fellow's time. Time is precious. I egard it so. I resent any man's taking up my ime needlessly. I refuse to take up any other erson's time carelessly.

"Time is especially valuable on Sunday, for hat is the only day that the average person has or recreation and rest; and after all, as Jesus aid so clearly, The Sabbath was made for nan, and not man for the Sabbath.'

"Horace Greeley said, 'I would write shorter ditorials, but I haven't time.' It takes more ime and preparation for a preacher to get a hort, sharp, efficient one-hour service' ready ban it does to get ready for a two-hour Sunday bafing spree, wasting the time of people who ave a right to want to be out in God's open on he one day a week they have for recreation."

Now while we do not believe in deoting the Sabbath to pleasure seeking, e do believe that so far as his fellow en are concerned any man has a pereet right to use Sunday or any other

day in any way he sees fit, provided he does not in so doing interfere with like liberty on the part of other people.

But in saying this, we do not mean that A has not a right to mow his lawn, hoe in his garden, or plow his field, play ball, go fishing, play golf or tennis, on Sunday simply because B is annoyed because he regards as sin the doing of such things on what he believes to be sacred time.

Mental annoyance because of divergent beliefs must be barred if liberty of conscience is to be preserved, or we might say restored, for in many cases it is now restricted by Sunday laws which prohibit on that day the doing of many things wholly innocent, or even praiseworthy, in and of themselves. In other words, Sunday laws are designed primarily to protect the sanctity of the

day.

In fact, the whole Sunday law idea seems to assume that the churches have a right to a monopoly of the day. They would prohibit all counter Sunday attractions.

Now we do not patronize shows upon any day. We do not believe in them. But religious considerations aside, why has not one set of people just as good a right to attend a Sunday theater as others have to attend a Sunday church service?

A

B.

The Church out of Her Sphere CCORDING to the newspapers of Amarillo, Tex., the Social Service Committee of the Polk Street Methodist Church presented a petition. "signed by one hundred twenty church. men and women of Amarillo," requesting Judge Henry S. Bishop to institute grand jury action against all who refuse to observe Sunday according to their notions. The Sunday laws of Texas prohibit the sale of cold drinks, candy, cigars, chewing gum, dry goods, gasoline, and the playing of baseball games and many other items, but this same law allows the sale of drugs, foodstuffs, news

papers, ice cream, milk, and other items of the same character.

We would like to know by what process of reasoning these church people, who are responsible for this law being on the statute books of Texas, and who now demand its enforcement in Amarillo, decided that it was a crime to sell candy on Sunday, but no crime to sell ice cream; a crime to sell gasoline, and no crime to sell a newspaper; a crime to sell a cold drink, and no crime to sell milk.

When the church enters the civil realm and seeks to manipulate the judicial and municipal affairs of a community, and asks that the civil magistrates use the police power of the State to enforce religious obligations and customs in harmony with the religious notions and convictions of a certain sect, it is very evident that this particular church has got out of her proper sphere. It is not the mission of the church to employ force, or to appeal to it.

The church, when she employs her legitimate means to make disciples for her tenets, can only resort to the power of persuasion and free grace.

All these church activities in behalf of the enactment and enforcement of Sunday laws go to prove, more and more, that Sunday laws are religious, not civil; and that these political churches are seeking to legalize their religious customs and force them upon all people alike, irrespective of religious convictions.

Jefferson succeeded in securing the pa sage of a statute providing for religiou freedom in Virginia. It is not surprisin that he wished to have engraved up his tombstone a statement of this fact. mark his own conviction that it had bee one of his chief contributions to the we fare of his fellow man.

George Washington was conscious the need for battling with intolerand among his countrymen in this new cou try, and much of his own greatness soul sprang from the essential toleran of his own nature, his broadmindednes his openmindedness, and his human sy pathy. . .

Intolerance Is Mean

The only way by which it can be ende is through the energetic action of an e lightened and aroused public opinion.

Similar intolerance on race anta onism is mean, un-Christian, and in moral.

That there are real differences betwee the various races into which humanity divided, all of us, except certain a thropologists, well understand. admi and appreciate.

These differences, however, offer just grounds for intolerance, proscrip tion, or hatred.

Throughout our history we find ep sodes indicating that such hatreds hay sprung up from time to time, and the often they have caused incalculabl misery and sorrow. There is no recor of a single occasion in which civilizati has been advanced because of any their operations.

Just now it is the Jew who, in th United States, is bearing the brunt antagonism based upon race hatred.

To endeavor to determine the exa reasons for this, would be to undertak that which is impossible of complete a complishment, and, furthermore, woul be to undertake a useless task, for to morrow it may be the Slav, or the Italia: or some other particular group again which some body of inhabitants of th United States may decide to direct them animosity.