Sunday Amusements
The decision to leave the question of the Sunday opening of the amusement section of the Festival of Britain to a free vote of the House of Commons is sound, -and a very interesting debate may be expected ; on such questions the House is usually at its best. To distinguish between principle and private prejudice (using the word in no derogatory sense) is by no means easy. Many of the continental visitors whom it is hoped to attract to the Festival would be blankly bewildered at the idea of closing the amusement
section on Sundays—but there is in fact no more reason why we should offer them their customary Sunday than their customary drinks ; in coming to Britain they accept British ways. Certain points are clear. To the opening of the educational and artistic sections of the Festival exhibition no one takes any exception ; on the amuse- ment side anything like stage plays, variety entertainments, circus turns, boxing and wrestling contests and public dancing will definitely be prohibited. It is not quite clear what forms of amusement or entertainment remain, but, whatever they are; the Advisory Com- mittee of Christian Churches for the Festival object vigorously to their being made available on Sunday ; the Festival Gardens, other than the amusement area, will in any case be open. Full weight should be given to the opinion of the Churches, and not too much to the contention of the amusement contractors that it is of the first importance on financial grounds to have the whole amusement area open on Sundays. There is obviously no case here of black and white ; considerations are nicely balanced. A dear idea will, no doubt, be given during the debate of what kind of amusements are involved ; on that the House will decide—and no doubt decide right.
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