The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1911-11-15
lu.C.C.W.
DEP A RT M e MT

National Womans Christian Tenn
aLce Union, Lillian NJ. y. Stevens
National president, at an immens'
meeting at Portland, Maine, Sunda!
evening. September 10, on the ev,
of the great election, issued an i'm
portant proclamation. which va!
cabled to the delegates assembled II
Congress against alcoholism, at thu
Hague.
During the important campaign
just closing in Maine. 1t has been
forcefully demonstrated that the TEN
perance question is Of worldwide
importance and interest. Never be-
fore has an appeal so numerously
signed by prominent people Of the
nations been issued as that which has
come to Maine pleading that the
state should not lower its beacon
light of prohibition. 1t is fitting
that from Maine, this notable center
of prohibition interest and activity
message should go to the people OF
the world and that this message take
the form of a proclamation Of prin-
ciples and purposes.
The Proclamation.
Whereas. modern science has de-
initely established for all time that
alsohol is a toxin, the worst product
of the ferment germ. poison to
every living tissue, destructive and
degenerating to the human organism
striking at the health. character and
| life OF the individual, blasting the
lives of children unborn. and under
mining the integrity of the family
And Whereas. Wine is mocker
and the maintenance of alcoholic
beverages in the channels Of trade
| always causes their widespread use
| among the people, entailing incalcul-
able economic loss in productiveness
and heavy burden OF taxation, turn
ing out multitudes of slaves and vic.
tins of drink. lowering in an ap-
| palling degree the average standard
| Of character of citizenship upon
which the nations institutions and
liberties must rest, bringing about
the untimely death of many thous-
ands Of citizens. exceeding in num-
bers all those destroyed by war, pes
thence and famine combined
And Whereas, this terrible disease
has been running fir long centuries,
and is now gnawing at the vitals of
the nations and civilizations of today,
gripping the governments OF the
world, and is interviewer into the
political, commercial and social life
| of the people. thus constituting the
| most deeply seated chronic organic
disease known TO the body polite
and body social,
And Whereas. such a disease for a
permanent cure requires Of necessity
deep continued organic treatment for
the Whole body. for which partial,
superficial devices like legal license
and local regulation have always
proved and from their own nature
must always prove utterly made
Quate,
Therefore, In the name of the
Worlds and National Womans Chris
tan Temperance Union, We hereby
make this proclamation for a great
crusade to carry the vital truth to
the people themselves in all lands
and through them to place prohibit
| ,ion in the organic law of the world
Low in the forming. And to this
high end We invoke the blessing and
guidance of Almighty God. and the
cooperation of the men and women
Ct all lands who love their fellow
| men.
To America. the birthplace of the
| local. state. National and World :
| Womans Christian Temperance
Union. we hereby proclaim, amid the
smoke OF the second great battle o,
Maine. in the home of Neal Dow, and
IN the state which longer than any
other has had prohibitory law. that
within a decade prohibition shall bs
| placed in the constitution of the
United States. and to this end We
call 10 active cooperation all tenn
reranee. prohibition, religious ana
| ,hilanthropic bodies. all patriotic,
traternal. civic associations. and all
Americans who love their country
And now. men and women of Maine.
with the thunders of our own great
battle in our ears. We shall start to-