Los Angeles and the Sunday Law
THE Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce sends out the following concerning the proposed Sunday law for California: “Resolved, That in the matter of the initiative act to provide one day in seven as a day of rest, which is to be placed on the ballot at the fall election, which will be held November 3, 1914, and will be designated thereon as proposition No. 45, “We, the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, do hereby go on record as not favoring the act as drawn, because the adoption of such a law would not be for the welfare of the state of California, or her industries, or her labor. “While the general principle of one day of rest in seven is not objectionable, and is generally and popularly observed regardless of legislation, the proposed act, masked under an innocent and popular title, is of the same class as proposition No. 3, known as the ‘Eight Hour Law,’ and would be about as drastic in its operation; it is discriminatory in its provisions, difficult of interpretation (except to the trained legal mind), and its drastic penal clause and provisions for enforcement would fill our courts with thousands of cases where its terms had been innocently violated in the daily occupation of life for want of a clear understanding of its terms, thereby entailing wide-spread hardship.” This is certified to by the president, Louis M. Cole. As referred to in a note last week, this action was taken after the proposed law had been carefully examined, and competent legal counsel had reported on it. Such opinions should receive due consideration.