The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-12
LAST MEETING OF
 FLYING SQUADRON
Ex-Gov. Hanly's Address Leaves Women in Tears
A PAGE FROM HISTORY
Tells of Mothers Plea for Pardon of Husband-Oliyer W. Stewart Gives Four Reasons for Prohibition.
 John B. Lewis Speaks

With about half the women of the audi. ence still dabbing tear-soaked handlxer- chiefs at their eyes. from the effects oi the address of former Gov. ]. Franl Hanly of Indiana, Oliver W. Stewart of Chicago closed the last meeting in Bir- mingham of the Flying Squadron of America at the orpheum theatre last night.
 Governor Hanly based his plea for na- tional prohibition on the ground that the babyhood of America demanded it, or rather the future welfare of America s babies demanded the suppression of the sale or manufacture of intoxcants.
 That part of his address which wrung tears from the eyes of many women of the audience and caused many of the men to keep continually trying to swal- low hNge lump. had to co with an experience of Governor Hanly while he was yet in the executive office of In uiana. He drew, as he said, "a page from the history of my life.'
 He told of the efforts of .l wife and mother to secure d pardon for her hus- band, who had been committed to the state reformatory for tue crime of high way robbery. He told of her magnifi- cent plea for executive clemency in which she told of her childhood nd of her marriage and of the struggle to build a home. A child had come to her, a little boy, 3 years old, who accompanied her to the governors office.
 ia Labor Day, visited nearby city with party of friends to attend d celebra- tion of the day; of how strong drink formed part of the days feast and of how, on turning homeward, the bus band had aided the party in holding up and robbing passing pedestrian in the night.
 Pleads for Executive CIemency
 Sobered, she said, by the consciousness of his great crime, the husband returned to the city which he had just left and surrendered himself to the authorities sending for her. She then told of the anguish of the trial and of how she plead for judicial clemency end had been re- fused. The husband was sentenced to an indeterminate term of years, with a max jmum of 2l.
 
 ed by the outpouring of her story, kneeled at his table and abandoned herself to tears. The little son then ca..e forward and in childish treble, demanded the release of his father quite manfully Overcome, the chief executive granted parole immediately. As the governor told his hearers of the granting of the pa role, the tension was relieved a storm of applause shook the house, and the hu- midlty was aDpreciablo
 Then the governor told of how the expenses of the campaign must be met; of how his personal funds had at times been exhausted; of how he had over drawn his bank account as far as the banker would honor his check, and of how necessary it was that the people support the cause. He asked the ushers to come forward and distribute envelopes which, when returned, filled with pledges Of money, cash and checks. were, in nu- merous instances, stained with the tears of the donors
 The former governor retired after pay ing high tribute to and introducing Oli- yer w. Stewart who gave four reasons for so doing and made the prediction that the liquor traffic in the United States would have to be suppressed.
 Stewart Gives Four Reasons
 His four reasons were: "1. We are a u Fart of a moral and spiritual empire g. The truth is immortal i. Ours is the generation that discovered childhood which fact is borne out by the numerous chile welfare measures being adopted throughout the country. For these req sons, say to you tonight that in the state and nation the liquor traffic has to die for the security and welfare of the childhood of the race.-'
 john B. Lewis of Boston. Governor Han- ly said. had donated $10,000 to the ex- penses of the flying squadron and had volunteered to aid in the campaign per sonally. He addressed the meeting last night in part as follows:
 '1f I were offered choice of all the past ages of the world in which to ifve l would refuse them all preferring to live today. Never in all history were great CT movements for social uplift in progress than those of the present.
 When We consider the vast amount of poverty and suffering on every hand which is due to the saloon, can we call ourselves true American patriots unless we VOW to fight this monster to the death? Shall We not say, like the color bearer who was asked if he would carry the flag into battle, I will or report to the throne of God the reason why
 Tt seems almost incredible that with the universal knowledge we have of the oettTuCtlNe cudldcter tnlS Toe Ol NiOI and humanity that the majority of our citizens, men who would rally to the defense of our country if it were threat ened by human enemies from without or within, will vote to legalize the saloon. Knowing the inroads which the liquor habit is making upon even the flower ni American manhood, is such a course in any sense patriotic
 We cannot ignore the heartbreak of the mothers and fathers, the wives and innocent children, nor the misery and deprivation of those who are dependent upon the patrons of the saloon. There S also the economic aspect as exempli- fled in the care by the state at the ex- pense of the sober and industrious DOT tior. of the community of these alcohol drinkers and their dependents
 ''It Is true that among our varied Amer fcan activities we find scientific research economies, morality and efficiency stand ing for the prohibition of the saloon, but these must be animated by the spirit oi true patriotism if they are to succeed ir their object.