The Washington herald., 1917-02-09
ATTACK DRY FORCES
AS COWARDLY FANATICS
Members of Congress Assail Prohibi-
ton at Liquor Dealers Banquet.

Four members of Congress and nu-
merous other speakers took up the
cudgels on behalf of self-government
for the people of Washington in
trenchant speeches at the Banquet of
the National Retail Liquor Dealers
Association at the National Hotel last
night. Members of Congress who
would deny washingtonians. the right
to say what legislation shall be foisted
upon them were assailed by their col
leagues in bitter terms and accusa-
.tions of cowardice were freely used by
several of the speakers.
None of the speakers believed ma
tIonal prohibition would come to pass
as an amendment to the constitution
but some were less sanguine in dis
cussing the case of the District. 1t
was predicted that only by impressing
upon members what was termed the
illegality of the Sheppard bill could
prohibition be STAYED of at the pres
ent session. Practically every speaker
favored regulation rather than prohl-
bition, or IL prohibition must come
adequate compensation for the busi-
ness interests despoiled-
A noticeable feature OF the banquet
was the absence of liquors Of any kind
Great quantities OF bottled water were
furnished to quench the thirst of the
diners, of whom a large number were
women. Even Mr.. Bryan never gave q
dryer dinner.
William D. Barry, OF Washington
opened the evening as toastmaster, ou'
soon Eave over the gavel to Represents
tive NJ. r. Farley, of New York. Mr
Farley made a plea for referendum for
the District and introduced Neil Bonner
Of Philadelphia. retiring president; Will
lam Seckel OF Cleveland. Ohio, newly
IL ~ ha VIlaSts nj
honor. Representative A. J. SABBATH. Of
Missouri. was the first and was followed
by Representative William ]. Gordon. o1
Cleveland. Ohio; Representative Thomas
Gallagher, of Chicago, Ill, and Repre-
sentative L. E. Dyer, Of st. Louis, Mo.
Regulation Best Course.
Representative SABBATH declared the ref
erendum would find many supporters
when 1t came up In the House and in
dorsed the aims of the association fol-
regulatory legislation as preferable to
trying to legislate morals into the pub
lie. Representative Dyer took a fling al
the members of the House and Senate
who would force any legislation upon the
people of Washington so vitality anectins
their business interests as the Shop
pard bill.
ITO take the property OF any person OF
WITHOUT slNlHs NOiSc
the matter Is not genuine Americanism,
declared Mr. Dyer. The members OF
Congress are representatives Of all the
people, and It Is their duty to see that
no class OF persons is Disseminated
against at the behest OF certain narrow
minded fanatics"
Representative Gordon attacked pro-
hibition from a legal standpoint and held
that national prohibition or District pro-
hibition was in violation OF Section II
of the Constitution.
There never was a more hypocrtGca
or deceitful movement in the history OF
the country than the prohibition move
ment," declared Representative Gal
lagher. This move to foist prohibition
on the District Is of far-reaohins import
because of the effect II will have in
other parts Of the country. The men,
bers OF Congress are elected to safe
guard the interests Of the country, and
1t is up to them not to be hood winked
by this insincere clamor into passing q
law that will rob certain class OF peo-
pie OF their property rights"