The Washington herald., 1914-05-11

;HOBS0N MEASURE
RUIN0lS, HEsAYS
Liquor Dealers Society Brand
Prohibition Amendments Z
As Inpracticable
EXPECT BIG CONVENTION
Annual Meeting of Association to Be
Held Here Tomorrow. Wednes-
day and Thursday.
EXPECT BIG CONVENTION

y
Morris F. westheimer and Joseph De
bar. of Cincinnati. and A. J. Sunsteln.
:, of Pittsburgh, are here to attend the
annual meeting of the National Whole
sale Liquor Dealers Association, which
meets in this city on Tuesday. wednes-
day. and Thursday of this week. Mr..
Debar is secretary of the association.
and Mr.. Westheimer Is a member of
the executive committee Mr. Sunstein
is treasurer of the protective bureau.
Secretary Debar says the meeting will
be the largest in the history of the or
ganization. The Hobson resolution pro-
viding for national prohibition through
constitutional amendment has aroused
the liquor tradesmen to unusual interest
in the convention.
What the liquor tradesmen should es-
tablish first of all said Mr.. West
heimer. is an Ananias Club to which
we could recommend unlimited member
ship for many ardent proponents OF
prohibition. 1t astounds me when i
learn how easily some of the profess
sional prohibitionists fall into habits Of
untruthfulness and unfairness.
Would Not Prohibit.
For instance. the official spokesman
J. for the Hobson resolution insist on say
Ing that il is purely referendum ques-
ton. to be decided by the people. AS a
matter of fact the people will have moth
. ing to say about the matter. for IL the
resolution should be adopted. it will be
left to legislators of the States and not
to the people to approve or defeat it,
And then the statement that the Hob
son proposition provides for prohibition
Is false. That measure simply proposes
to prohibit the manufacture for sale.
Every man can get up his own still or
Drew his own beer or ale, or press his
own grapes and make wine in his kitchen.
Il am sure I am as sincere a believer
IN temperance as the most ardent anti
liquor man. continued Mr.. Westheimer,
and as a temperance advocate
prophecy that If the Hobson resolution
or anything like II should be approved.
we will have an unbearable condition
forced upon us. Moonshiners. speak,
easies. and the indiscriminate and Illegal
sale of liquors will make a mockery of
The so-called prohibition movement
Can't Raise Large Fund.
And / am wondering where the Fed
eral government would get the 81, 100
annually to replace the revenue now Sc
cured from the liquor industries? And
what would We do with the hundreds of
thousands of men thrown out Of employ
ment? And If the property used in the
business is thus confiscated what effect
WOULD IL nave on economic conditions.
These are pertinent inquiries and every
man and woman should consider them"
Secretary Debar has had notice from
200 dealers that they will attend the con-
Yention.
The fact that the Hobson resolution
was just reported by the Judiciary Com
mittee, although without recommended
ton, will prompt even a larger represen-
tation. When we arranged in January
last for this meeting we had no idea
that on the eve of our appearance here
the Hobson resolution would be placed
on the House calendar"
On my appearance here" said Mr..
Sunstein, Il am met with the astonisn-
ing statement made before committee
of Congress, that the treasurer OF the
protective bureau of the National Whole
sale Liquor Dealers Association. has col
lected S5,oO0.0o0 to be used to defeat the
prohibition cause. ] happen to be treas
urer and l. know the statement to be
ridiculous. The fact is that 1t is impos-
sible for us to raise any considerable
fund-surely nothing like the amounts
contributed to the Golfers of the agita- |
tors" !