The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-01-24
The Preparedness KHe---and Its Tail

the preparedness kite. But let the
Criterion speak for itself
There is strain of humor in tho
situation, too. Prohibition must come
out openly and attack preparedness 1t
mas no other way, because if prepared
ness wlns-and 1t will win--then tho
liquor industry must make IL possible.
The Prohibitionists must be
pacitists. They must attack prepared
ness Already there ia every reason
10 believe that a very large propor-
ton of those in the dry ranks are ma
trtots. They are for preparedness
They cannot be for both preparedness
and prohibition. Time has stepped in.
and conditions have given them their
choice. IL they insist that there must
be some revenue other than that from
liquor, then they can pay twice as
much postage (which would maybe
put the Postoffice Department on a
supporting basisD. and they must
pay a penalty on all their necessities
as well as their Injuries Picture
theaters will be obliged to raise their
prices, because films will be taxed.
Perfumes, powders and milady's beau
" needs viii go upward In price, and
down in quality Rugs. carpets, furni-
ture, food--automohles, gasoline, rail-
way far-every thing must help pay
the tax to make good the loss through
prohibiting the manufacture and sale
OF liquor. And all the while the dis
ulling interests, supplying the bulk Of
our national revenue, have actually
been obliged To fight for a chance to
keep the government intact. 1t Is
paradox. Viewed In the light OF iu,ls
ment, 1t is the gaSest traYestS Of
modern times.
Every distiller. every jobber. every
wine man land every brewer, If brew
ers are actually patrioticD must join
this movement for preparedness. Au-
tomaticallS. preparedness will smother
prohibition.
The liquor interests Of the United
States are patriotic. They are for pre-
paredness, They want free country.
that wifi insure life, liberty and the
pursuit OF happiness TO posterity.
Talk preparedness. Shout 1t from
the housetops. Throw it back into
tho teeth of the Prohbitionists Make
them face the question squareIy. Then
let the voters decide.
And once II is done, the wet and
dry map will change wonderfully and
speedily
This Is the dawn of the day ~
SUCCESS Preparedness, time and the
changing order of things. have already
moved forward tremendously in this
solution of our problems. National
the established sources OF revenue.
There is no gainsaying the fact tina,
the question of revenue I'm Connection
with the preparedness program is one
OF the most important to be met and
solved. We believe. however, that il
viii be solved speedily TO the satisfac-
tion OF n vast majority OF the people
of the United States without bringing
any comfort TO those internal enemies
of national liberty who are more dan
gerous than all the guns of all the
fleets that can ever be assembled
against the United States.
The closing sentence OF the Crtter-
ions editorial. containing as II does
thinly yelled threat that the liquor
interest will turn over the nation to
its external enemies unless the de.
mands OF those interests be granted
should make every genuine patriot
more determined than ever to free
his country from this base and treas
enable MISREPRESENTATION Daily