South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-07-08
HERES To THE BREWERS LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND REFORM
LEAGUE.

LEAGUE.
With notice sent 10 all saloon keep
ers OF indianapolis by the Indiana
Law Enforcement and Reform league,
backed by the Indiana Brewers as
ISOLATION, that they must conduct
their business strictly according 70
law" we are inclined. for the sake
Of rendering them our assistance at
least. TO take Ir. James c. Kelly, sec
rotary OF the league, at his word, that
they mean business"
That our assistance. however, may
be more effective. and that our conf
dence may grow, We trust they will
not limit these directions 10 Indian
apolis. but will include South Bend
and other cities Of the state in their
program; South Bend in particular,
where one OF the gentlemen. high up
in the Brewers association resides.
Then we shall expect him. in his daily
intercourse. to put the lid" far as
possible, on those friends of his who
are constantly damning our city ad-
ministration. which. as the thing now
stands is merely pledged with respect
u the liquor traffic. to do. so far as the
law will permit, what the Brewers
Law Enforcement and Reform league
stands for
There can be no further excuse
among the enemies of prohibition for
the singing Ga praises TO the open
town" in violation of the Proctor law
already on our statute books We
never have believed that it was nee
essary 10 throw down the bars to
booze. gambling. and all kinds of vice,
in order for a town 20 prosper, and
we are glad 20 see these leaders
among the liquor men-the manufac-
Understanding a somewhat similar
stand. The program OF the league
applied 20 the whole state is all that
is needed 10 answer the question and
answer IL distinctly.
Furthermore if the league makes
good. it will go a long way toward
taking the saloon out of politics-ex-
cept insofar as the prohibition move
ment is political. and that is all it is.
and that is one OF the things that
have served 10 make the liquor bust
ness obnoxious. Aside from being the
storm center Of vice and the corrup-
ton OF private morals, that no one
dared venture to run for public office
without saloon Endorsement, has done.
ysrraps. much as anything TO drive
ptfpTc opinion 10 wanting the business
done away with. In more than one
state, and in plore than one cOmmu-
nifty. IL has been at the very fOunda-
ton of prohibition success. Men have
voted TO put the saloon out Of bust
ness. because il would put them out
Of politics. who cared little or moth
ing for the other arguments that the
prohibitionists put forth
This feature along with prOverbial
disregard for the law under which the
business is permitted To exist. and the
consequent breeding of a disregard
for ali law. has done more by a hun
dred-fold TO advance the prohibition
movement. than the more purely
moral aspects OF IT, Men as q rule
are lot half so deeply concerned in
rendering it impossible for their fell
lows TO make fools of themselves by
getting drunk, as they are in having
the rules of civ; conduct obeyed by
which communities guage their re-
spectab ility and mutual safety. If
something like the Indiana Law En-
forcement and Reform league had
taken hold years ago. advanced such
a cause, and stood honestly by it..
there would never have been a pro-
hihitiOn movement
So le- the league proceed. and let
US see how we'll il proves its sincerity,
and while II proceeds, let US shift our
contempt 10 those politicians and vice
prompters who frown upon it, and
would seek 10 stay IT, for the political
and vice promotion purposes. wishing
still 10 employ the saloon as the storm
center OF their deviltry, and a goat
for their chiCane