Protests against the laws which in most parts of the
Con- tinent prohibit or limit Sunday labour, have been frequently recorded; but they have usually proceeded from freethinkers, who consider those laws interferences with individual liberty. It is said, however, that the small tradesmen of Vienna, -especially bakers and grocers, intend to organise a strike in favour of Sunday trading, on the ground that they lose too mach by closing their shops. As the customers must have bread and groceries, even if they have to buy them on Saturday, it is difficult to see whence loss of business arises; but the tradesmen must know their own interests best, and the incident is curious as a foretaste of what we may expect when laws limiting hours of work become general in Europe. It is sweet to have leisure—if you know what to do with it—but it is sweeter to have enough to eat. Rail- way employes in England, we believe, consider that an eight- hours law, which would deprive them of a fourth or third of their paid time, would be pure robbery.
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