Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-11-05
father CURRAN FOR
DRY" WILMINGTON
Says He'll Be Sorry if this
City Remains in License
Column
POLLARD SAYS
RICHMOND PROSPERS

/ drcdS or voters at q dry mass meet
Ing at the Queen Theatre yesterday
afternoon. His appearance in This city
was the leading feature Of an after
noon and evening devoted 10 large mass
meetings by the supporters OF the anti
license movement. In the evening the
meetings scheduled for the Majestic
and Victoria Theatres both overlooked
nearly an hour before the time fixed
for the meeting. and overflow meet
ings were held in the First Presbytcr-
ian Church.
III a person could have heard all
OF the dry speakers there probably
would be little for him TO learn on
the subject OF anti-license. I'm add
ton 10 their own set of arguments, the
speakers referred TO claims made by
the antl-license forces, refuting these
arguments TO the best Of their ability.
The meeting, however, that attracted
the most attention was that at the
Queen in the afternoon, where Father
Curran was scheduled to talk The
license committee had announced by
advertisement yesterday mornAg that
Father Curran would not be here. Be
}
Of wet" supporters went TO the Queen
Theatre as well as thousands Of dry
men to sec what would happen. As a
consequence the theatre was filled
thirty minutes before the time for The
meeting, and then hundreds who ap-
piled were turned away. The Rev. I. s.
Gulcz, pastor Of St. IIedwigs Roman
Catholic Church. met Father Curran at
the theatre and sat on the stage while
ne spoke.
But Father Curran came lie said he
knew nothing about any announcement
that he was not 10 come TO Wilmington.
lie told his audience that he had sat
mp TO 800 o'clock Sunday morning pre-
pairing the speech nc came TO deliver
here. That he got up at $50 o'clock, said
mass at g. received confessions at Z.
said mass at 100 o'clock and then
caught the $50 O'Clock train for this
city, without having had anything TO
eat.
Father Curran is q man who has
worked all his life for the uplft Of
/ his fellow man. lie is Just as he said,
a friend TO every one, Brewer, distiller
and saloonkeeper, Protestant and Jew
heather
III can take away the business Of
the saloonkecper," said Father Currar
during his speech. 81 am also willing
TO go down In my pocket and hell
. him.
, Father Curran devoted nearly an hou
to answering an address made by w. II
Windle in the interest Of the llccns,
; question a few weeks ago. Step by stel
Father Curran made statements, tina
he alleged rcfuted those made by Mr.
Windlc. The priest was particular,
keen in his dcnuncialion Of those state.
menis made by Mr.. Windlo against the
church as a whole and his reference
TO interpretations Of the Bible.
Hes not philosopher, he's a
sophist' was the reverend fathers
comment on Mr. Wlndle's speech. n,
voiced his condemnation Of The speaker
carefully, refusing TO make the out
and-out charge that lac had falsiled
statements, but going TO the length at
one time of calling them half lies. AT
other times he spoke OF Mr.. Wndo's
luttorances as attempts 10 deceive and
confuse people by the use Of words
that sounded much similar, but were
direct opposite I'm meaning.
There are nine Catholic bishops
who have come out strong for prohi-
IhitiOn," said Father Curran In addi.
tion there are hundreds Of priests who
have come out publicly for the cause
| never heard Of the church or the
people suffering because Of this"
Father Curran went on 10 say thai
the trouble over the coming OF ma
tion-wide prohibition was because th,
Catholic brethren feared what action
the non-Cathollcs would take after II
had arrived
But l have never feared what IN,
lnon-CathOlics would do continued
Father Curran. That's the Who'll,
trouble. we are too far apart. In al
questions involving the good OF On,
community, we should pull together
work together and win a glorious vic
tory together
Father Curran at one point in hh
address predicted the future and speed,
coming OF prohibition.
"Uncle Sam has answered The liquor
men," he said. "in the District of Co
lumbia, and he viii again give an an
swcr two years from now when On,
nation goes dry"
Father Curran closed with a stale.
ment as solemn as a bcnediction Ia
/ urged an the men 10 go 10 the poll.
tomorrow. and vote a ballot for th,
good Of their city. their state. thci
country and their God. Previously he
has said he would be sorry to learI
on the day after election If the cit,
continued wet"
Many Of the Protestant churches
were closed last night 10 permit ihei
members to attend dry rallies held il
downtown theatres. Big as the movie
houses are, they were inadequate &,
accommodate one-fourth Of those Wh'
tried to gain admission.
Mtorney. General Pollard Of dry
Virginia. spoke at the Majestic Theatre
A half hour before me began speak.
ing, the theatre was filled and an over
how meeting was held at the First
! Presbyterian Church AZ the overflow
meeting Caleb h. Burchenal acted as
], presiding officer and Judge prickelt. OF
speaker.
n Mr. Pollard, in his address. read let
'ers from members of the Retail NIer-
p chants Association. of Richmond. Va
.. showing how their business had grown
since the state went dry" A letter
from inc auditor general Of ihe Staie
= showed that revenues had increaeed
el,eOO'OOO since Virginia went ~dr,, IN
spite OF the loss Of S5OOOOO from H.
q censes formerly received IL
An instance Of the prosnerit,. 90, MI
mond. was indicated when IL was statsd
l. BY Mr. Pollard that the ,it,. ~ ''"' u