The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1917-12-21

The Eighteenth Annual Convention
of the Anti-Saloon League Of Amer
ica, held at Washington, December
10 to 13, will go down in the history
OF the Prohibition movement as the
greatest of all national conventions.
Delegates who had attended many
former conventions were unanimously
of the opinion that the recent gather
ing had never been equalled in inter-
est and enthusiasm displayed by the
delegates. Never before at any one
meeting of temperance forces were
there so many great orators or such
stirring eloqucnce. Rejoicing over
recent great Prohibition progress was
combined with tie confident expccta-
ton of complete triumph in the near
future. Added 10 this was the de-
termination to free America from
the handicap OF drink during the war,
and pervading the whole convention
was a spirit of harmony, optimism
and good fellowship. AS a convention
the Washington meeting was an un-
paralleled success. But, more i'm
portant, the attitude of the nation as
reflected by the convention, composed
Of representative men and women
: from everywhere liz Anierica, is a
forecast that the liquor traffic in this
country has not much longer to live.
Amendment Vote Chief Interest
The impending vote on the national
Prohibition amendment in the House
of Representative was of overshadow
ing interest throughout the conven-
ton. In his address at the opening
session Senator Sheppard stirred the
delegates to a high pitch of enthus-
iasm when he predicted that the
House of Representatives would pass
the resolution which had already been
favorably acted upon by the Senate.
This enthusiasm continued unabated
to the last speech of the final session
made by Capt Richmond P. Hobson,
who introduced the Amendment Res
olution at a former session of the
House of Representatives In his
address Senator Shep ard made it
clear that the people should not be
denied the right to change the con-
stitution so as to abolish the liquor
traffic from this country. He pointed
a,,+ tb,t Carr1a, ou+ocrory and the
power of the Hohenzollern's is based
on the Kaiser's power to prevent any
change in the constitution governing
the German people. "The German
Emperor" said the Senator, Stands
between the people and the constitu-
ton. "But no excuse of heredity or
tradition can be made by any Ameri
can in opposition to changes in the
constitution. The liquor traffic de-
stroys ability to enjoy or defend the
institutions of democracy"
War Problems Discussed
The Importance of Prohibition in
connection with the war brought out
in many of the addresses at the con-
vention. All who mentioned the sub
ject favored further restrictions in
the manufacture and sale of intoxi-
cants in this country and abroad. Ben
H. Spence, of the Dominion AL
lance told of his recent visit to En-
gland and how drink is endangering
young Canadian soldiers overseas.
Bishop Luther B. Wilson, President
of the Anti-Saloon League of Amer
ica, in speaking of his recent OBJ
servations abroad said, 81 believe
that the army that is to constitute
the conquering force must of neces--
sity be an army of sober men," Su-
perintendent Baker said, "We must
demand that the allies shall not make
grain from this country or their own
grain into beer" w. J. Bryan said,
1--WE need 100 per cent men to do this
fighting. If we allow the brewers to
sap the strength of the men at home
it is as bad as sapping the strength
of the men on the firing line" SEN
ator Borah, in his address told of
stopping over in Chicago on his way
to Washington recently, and here OBJ
serving the destructive work of the
liquor traffic. u saw thousands,