1929: House Passes Birmingham’s Bill to Apply Sunday Observation to Armistice Day

Rep. Birmingham’s bill to apply Sunday observation to Armistice Day was passed by the House by a vote 104 to 100 on Feb. 6, 1929, the Boston Globe reported (Feb. 7, 1929, p. 7).

The bill was a substitute for an adverse committee report, which had recommended against applying Sunday observation to Armistice Day.

Before the vote, Birmingham spoke in favor of the bill, along with Rep. Charles Page of Boston, Rep. John Derham of Uxbridge, and Rep. Alfred Ingalls of Lynn.

Speaking against the bill, Rep. Maynard E. S. Clemons of Wakefield, Rep. Elmer Spear of Everett, Rep. Martha Brooks of Gloucester, Rep. Joseph Finnegan of Boston, and Rep. Clarence Luitwieler.

The bill was set to go to the Senate for further action.

In 1926, Birmingham was one of the representatives who spoke in favor of making Nov. 11, Armistice Day, a legal holiday in the state. The House passed the bill on March 2 by a vote of 111 to 102 (Boston Globe, March 3, 1926, p. 28).