The Washington herald., 1917-01-08
Senator Underwood and Mgr.
Russell, Speakers at Polls
Theater, Denounce Right Of
Congress to Legislate for
Washington Without Con-
sent of Governed.

The historically famed spirit Of '7s,
which inspired our forefathers to cry out
In revolt that taxation without repre-
sentation was tyranny prevailed at a
mass meeting in Polls Theater yester-
day afternoon Of those in favor Of a
referendum vote on prohibition for the
District of Columbia.
Speakers declared that 1t wasn't the in
tention OF the trainers Of the Declaration
Of Independence that one small part of
this country should be denied a voice
In the government while all other States
exercised the democratic privilege Of gov
erning themselves
While the meeting was stimulated by
the prohibition bill for the District which
Congress will vote on tomorrow, a great
er significance was attached to the meet
Ing, according to P. T Moran, president
of the Washington Chamber Of Com
merce, who asked:
IF Congress forces this law upon US.
may 1t not only be a forerunner OF what
we can expect later?'
Not Interested in ''Dry" Bill.
Speakers generally announced that it
did not matter to them whether Wash
UT uEy, uuk FcsdTutu II
an injustice to make laws for this COM
munity without citizens first having the
opportunity to say whether they wanted
the legislation or not
A resolution favoring the Underwood
referendum amendment was unanimously
passed When the mos were called for
a small. elderly woman arose on the
balcony and apparently wanted to voice
some protest but she subsided quickly
under the roar of approval of the amend
ment and the music of the orchestra
The meeting was held under the aus
endum of the Distric Of Columbia Refer
endum Association, which is said to have
the support of the Chamber of Com
merce, Board of Trade. and the Retail
Merchants Association.
Theater Was Crowded.
The theater. was crowded to its capac-
ity and hundreds were turned away. The
meeting was presided over by William F.
GUIDE. Charles ]. Columbus was the sec
retary. --@--z-
Senator Oscar w. Underwood, of Ala
bama, declared that the prohibition issue
Is not moral question as supporters of
1t represent 1t to be, but he said it was
question of government, remarking:
IF these good people think II is a
moral question and that 1t is immoral
to drink, why do they not stop drink
ing themselves? The bill now pending
does not even stop drinking, but 1t mere
ly will decide whether you are to buy
your liquor here or in Baltimore And
1t will decide whether you are to store
liquor in your house and drink at all
hours Or whether you shall only drink
during the hours now regulated by law.
That Is not characteristic OF moral
question, is It?
Travesty on the Law.
However, I believe that the sale Of
liquor in community should be STAMPED
out II the people believe so. But II is
travesty on the law when prohibition
Is forced upon people who are not will
ing to stop Drinking.
Under such Conditions the blind tiger
Is born with its trail of debauchery ana
crime
Under the constitution 1t may be legal
for the House to pass the prohibition
law but would It be just? The fathers on
this counry never contemplated unjust
government for the District of Columbia,
but liberty, freedom and the right of the
people to govern themselves.
such a right is exercised and jealousy
guarded by all OF the States of the
union today, and why should II be
denied the District of Columbia?
1T makes no difference to me whether
you can buy liquor here or not. but
do revolt against an unconstitutional
action through which you surrender your
right to live. to happiness and to pros
CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE.