Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-02-11
Lively Debate Before House
Committee OH Judiciary on
Proposed Liquor Laws
"ANTIs" HAVE THEIR INNING
President sutro, Of the German Amer-
lean Alliance, Creates Diversion by
Novel Arguments = Says Minee Pie
Makes More Criminals Than Alco-
ho.

Washington, Feb. 11.-Anti- pron10s
| itionists had their innings today when
representatives of the National Ger
| man American alliance appeared be-
| fore the house committee on judiciary
| to oppose in general sixteen bills intro
duced at this session for the suppress
sion of the liquor traffic, and in par
ticular the Littlefeld bill proposing
federal enforcement Of the local option
excise laws. A running exchange of
thrusts between Attorney Theodore
Sutro of New York, president Of the
New York branch, and Representative
Littlehed, member of the judiciary
committee, enlivened the hearing and
gave alternate comfort to the allies Of
each.
| Sutro assumed the familiar ground
that "You cannot legislate morality In
| to the people," and he flung into Lit
tlefield's figurative teeth the assertion
that Maine, Littleield's state, exem-
plified in great measure the soundness
| of the claim that prohibition does not
prohibit"
"Then," said Littlefield, do UNDER
stand your argument to be that NOR
ality can not be inculcated into the
people by legislation? Do you stand
on that? Answer me directly. please"
Il stand on that, yes" said Sutro.
sI> 7 nj n ln6prStO00
f! this committee"
| In other words, he wants to FIX 2
loop hole to crawl out Of suggested q
voice.
NO" said Sutro, "He doesn't But
I do not propose to be misunderstood
and taken. advantage of. What stand
on is this: The only way to make tenn
perate men and women is to teach
them moderation as they grow up from
boyhood and girlhood, and the only
genuine, constitutional way to keep
| them temperate when they have grown
up, If they are not strong enough
themselves to be moderate, is to make
over nce-drunkenness- .
| crime. a misdemeanor. And that's the
province of the state, not of the central
government. If law can say to a
man, Thou shalt not take a sip OF
wine, beer, whisky or brandy it can
by the same authority say tQ him thou
shall not take a mouthful Of m1nce
pie and a tumbler of ice water. Gen
tlemen, over indulgence in intoxicants
is not the only excess conducive to
crime in this country. I give it as my
firm belief that as many murders have
been committed by dyspeptics, made
dyspeptic by too much mince pie and
ice water, as by men who were in-
famed to violence by strong drink"
When the laughter had subsidized SUI
tro returning to the philosophy that
prohibition does not prohibit, delivered
this inquiry: eff prohibition is ef-
fective, why, not so long ago, were
many members of this honorable house
of representatives in the habit of go
ing down stairs into the house res
taurant, calling for a cup of tea with
a large wink in the left eye, and be-
ing served with strong waters, I will
ask Littlefield to answer again" When
the laughter had subsided, Littlefeld
said:
"Ask the other members Of the COM
mittee that. 1t was before my time"
The committee has not reached con-
clusion on any prohibition bills.