Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-06

point to say that a member of Congress
had recently made the statement before
the House ways and means committee
that the sale of bottled liquors always
increased largely in a community follow
ing the passage of prohibition legislation.
and that therefore this sort of legislation
had tendency 10 make a saloon out o.
every home.
Rabbi Simon urged that the people of
the District be permitted to settle their
own affairs and said that naturally they
would do what was best for them
At this point Representative Kahn
submitted for inclusion in the record a
clipping from the Kansas City Journal
containing official statements of police
court judges to the effect that there
had been more arrests for drunkenness
in the first six months following the
enactment of prohibition legislation
than in the last six months of the open
saloons.
Have Matters in Their Own Hands.
There is no need for further legisla-
ton on a large scale" urged Rabbi ST.
mon The people here already have
the power to practically abolish the sa-
looms from this community, and Il THESE
thousands of people do object to the
saloons they can get together ana DS
concerted action and pressure upur the
excise board abolish every saloon IN the
District Why rob them of the very lit
tie fraction of elf-government which
they have? Don't they know better than
YOU what is the best for them?
DR. Simon then went on to say mat IL
was the sentiment Of the business men S
associations and of the substantial
business men and residents of assn
ington that present conditions were
satisfactory. He believed in the open
door Motley. and not the back-dOOr
policy. He wanted to see the saloons OF
Washington germanized and maze so
attractive that no man would pe
ashamed to be seen in one OF Ihen' III
response to question from IRON re Ia tWo
tive Sims DIR. Simon SAID ne nao ,"o
bows one nine years old and the otnel
ave Both were permitted to have wine
and beer upon occasions ,
..You wouldn't let your boys go 10
saloon" suggested Mr.. Sims
No replied the rabbi. lhey are LOU
young 49, any,
how would you?' asked Mr.. SIM.
why not / go myself when | want
to- replied the rabbi.
Louis P. Shoemaker.
Louis P. Shoemaker told the committee
that he was a lifelong resident of the
District. as had been his iather anu
orandfather, his mother and grandmother
before him Therefore he 1elt deeply III
terested in all that pertained to Wash
the people of this community were salts
sed with the present laws Washington
was doing well with this question oen-
timent here was moving in the rlSht ol-
rectiOn and he hoped that the ElemnerS
of the committee f WSa. sbnr G Without
giving il the deepest and most carer vi
consideration. He said no one who oWned
property or who had any particular III
terest in Washington had appeared before
too tn
some of the people who had been heard
and who had no interest here had MADE d
great deaf of noise.
Rev DIR. Brodthage. pastor of ST. John :
Lutheran Church, said he spoke tor ms
congregation in protesting against the en-
actment of prohibition legislation Tor TINS
community.
The enactment of prohibition lesisla-
ticn for this District said he. would
turn the hand of the clcck that recorGs
the worlds progress back TO the mlaoie
ages and to the time when the clergy
made great fight against the use of to-
bacco. considering it devilish TO blow
smoke through the nose.
He thought the prohibitionistS should
use more temperate language in DIS
cussing the issue. and thought that the
abuse and not the use OF iiqucr might
be prohibit ed. He thought the saloon
as at present conducted was not suited
to this age. He would like he said. to
see the saloon mCderniZed and European
lied and oren TO ladies' which would
have the tendency of cleansing the at
mosrhere of the saloons.
And take away the bar said the doe
tor land let men sit down TO their re-
freshments like gentlemen Should He
thought prohibition would breed in the
District race of moral weaklings
Happy Hooligansm in high and low cir
cles is the cause CT intemperance," said
the doctor.
Miss Phoebe Couzins made an interest
ing argument against prohibition on the
ground of the unconstitutiOnality of any
prohibition law which would tend to DENY
to brewers and distillers their rights un-
der the Constitution.