The Detroit times., 1910-04-04
Woman Speaks at Meeting
OF "Wets' in Pontiac
az MILTON r. PALMER.
(Staff Correspondent The Times,

Ao.N AtANt uisI., apfli "a otIlh'
ing incident OF the local option cam.
Iaign was the appearance OF Mrs.
Leontine g. Harnlsch. president OF The
E'omens Home Defenders league. OF
Pontiac. On the platform OF the How
land theater In this city Friday eyoL.
ing 10 speak against prohibition Mayor
David s, Rose. OF Milwaukee, was the
principal speaker. and Mrs. HarnisCh
followed him In brief talk in which
she told why she and other Pontiac
women had concluded they wanted the
licensed saloon pnck In their city.
Coming TO the meeting with her hus.
band anu her little daughter. Mrs.
iiarnisch listened To Mayor Roses
speech. She was then introduced by
City Attorney Hymars. While not a
..nished speaker, Mrs. Iarnisch spoke
with great earnestness and her argu-
rIents were novel aud obviously orig.
NAL. She Is a member OF the Macca-
bees and other societies.
Il have been asked why we organ
tied our league" she began. Il AM
not ashamed OF IL or OF the name we
have chosen. We have come to cor.
clude In visiting women that we know
that prohibition here in Pontiac is not
THAT II should be. Some are suffering
terribly"
AS an illustration. she pictured the
condition II there were no butter stora
In Pontiac but plenty In Detroit. TCe
women would go 10 Detroit and !.
might happen that some women would
suggest bridge whist game or other
diversion. The women would be likely
10 buy double portions OF butter and
to go 10 Detroit more and more often
for the good times they might have
With the bridge parties.
How many men are there that
would not say. Let's get butter store
in Pontias?'" she asked.
"A few weeks ago would not have
relieved that would be here speaking
IN this subject tonight. But | have
learned OF things that make me feel
IL is my 1uty 10 speak"
She described the condition in one
home where the husband had not been
a drinking man until after local option
went into effect. Then he got into the
habit of going more and more fire.
cuently 10 Detroit with the boys" fo-
good time, his excuses becoming
more and more threadbare. Finally
ca the Saturday before Easter. ne
went from his work TO the car without
coming home at ali and squandered
his pay in Detroit
The men go into Detroit and some
fellow says, Lets have a good time
and our wives will never know about
st." she went on. but some men talk
in their sleep. They go to resorts.
The prohibitionists say Mother,
have you a son 10 give to the saloon"
| answer No 40 mother has son
10 give. nor a daughter either. They
never think of the daughters. But
There have 10 be daughters.
Many OF our women In Pontiac say
that they are jus: waiting for the time
when the saloons come back 10 Pom
tiac. Then. IL man wants TO have
a glass o. beer or whisky, he can have
Il and come home. With saloons here.
oGr women could go 10 the saloon
keeper and forbid him to sell 10 their
husbands. they could go TO the factory
door and take the husband home. but
they cannot say to the ID. L. K. You
shall not take my husband TO Detroit
1t is not true tina, the brewers have
had anything TO DO with our organiza.
ton"
| The Women's Home Defenders
league has become quite an issue in
Pontiac Prior 10 Friday nights meet.
| Ing o dry orator mounted on soap
/ box near the front OF the theater bit
terly assailed Mr., Rathbone, the or
eanizer OF the Merchants & Manufac-
tnrers' association. for invading
homes" OF Pontiac. Mrs. Harnisch
heard this and her last remarks were
| in the nature OF reply
/ Mayor Rose declared the prohibi-
/ ton fight to be the most important In
American history, involving the liberty
OF $4,000 600 citizens.
1T is not that am opposed 10 tenn
perance that all here" he said, "bu:
because I am in favor OF temperance.