The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1917-11-23
KILL TRAFFIC AND
PROMOTE WELFARE
Patriotism Demands Undivided 10y
atty When Country Is in Danger;
3 the Traffic Is Disloyal, Putting
Beer Before Country

On Thursday, November 3, Wayne
3. Wheeler, Attorney and General
Counselor of the Anti-Saloon League
of America, and William II. Ander-
son, Superintendent OF the Anti-Sa-
loon League of New York, met Will
liam Hirst, attorney for the United
States Brokers' Association, and Mr..
Graham, attorney for National Liz
uor Dealers Association, in joint de-
bate In Hoboken Forum, suburb of
New York, on the national Prohibi-
tion issue. We herewith present an
outline of the argument offered by
Mr.. Wheeler:
National constitutional Prohibition
should be adopted because 1t is the
only available method for permanent
ly settling the liquor question. War
Prohibition would cease at the close
of the war. Prohibition by prohibit
i've tax would be impractical and too
unstable. A federal amendment CIV
ing Congress discretion to prohibit
the traffic would make the liquor is
sue dominant in the election of Sena-
tors and Congressman. The best way
TO settle this vital issue which affects
the lives and destinies of the people
is to place it in the organic law where
the changes of party politics cannot
affect it.
A National Evil Requires a National
Remedy
A national evil requires a national
remedy. The liquor traffic is ma
tional evil. Our interstate relations
and the inherent vicious character of
the traffic makes it SO. The alcoholic
may drink liquor in one state, and
commit crime or become public
charge in another. Science has DEM
onstrated that liquor is habit-form-
ing drug. The federal government
realized that such evils must be dealt
with by the nation. This is why the
Harrison Anti Narcotic act was
passed. Congress also realized that it
was useless for a state to try and
combat contagious diseases by itself,
consequently federal laws were enact
ed to prevent one state from being in
jured by the other. Local option and
state Prohibition are efficient but not
sufficient TO completely Solve the
problem. It is as impossible to keep
the evil of the liquor traffic inside of
state as it is to keep the odor of
soap factory inside the walls of the
building. The remedy must be as far
reaching as the evil; the patch must
be as big as the sore. State bounda-
ries are not adequate barriers to
moral contagion and no state care
less in such matters should be per-
mitted to dump its drunks and other
derelicts over the border line for
neighboring state to care for.
National Prohibition Necessary to
Safeguard Democracy
One of the purposes of this war is
10 make our country safe for democ-
racy. If democracy is to be perma-
nently safe, Kaiserism abroad and
booze autocracy at home must go.
The liquor traffic menaces the two
essentials of democracy: patriotism
and clean politics. The backbone Of
patriotism is intelligence and moral
ity. Liquor makes Its deadliest at
tack upon the brain, the seat of intel
iigence. 1t weakens the brain cells
and dulls the intellect. The Health
Board of New York city in a recent
health bulletin said: Civilized man
10 brute animal plus high brain de-
velopment. Alcohol destroys the high
brain development and leaves tho
brute animal" 1t undermines public
morals, as every Jail, workhouse and
reformatory, filled largely by tho
products of the saloon traffic, shows
Democracy can only be safe when
the individual citizen has 4 clear brain
and moral viewpSint to guide that
intelligence into proper channels.
Patriotism requires undivided 10y
atty when the nation II In danger.
The liquor traffic b disloyai because
It puts beer before country and liquor
before loyalty. When the vital food
conservation legislation had passed
the House of Representatives, and the
majority Of the Senate favored II, and
the overwhelming majority OF the ma
ton demanded It, the brewery inter
ests, because Of 9 parliamentary ad-
vantage which they had, threatened
TO talk the food bill to death II the
beer provision was not eliminated. In
other words, the nations welfare 10
second when the life of beer 10 at
stake. Beer first, country second"
h liquor logic.
The liquor traffic aids those forces
IN our country whose loyalty 10 called
into question at this hour. 1t is the
strong, financial supporter of the Ger
man-American Alliance. The purpose
of this alliance 10 to secure German
.ot;d, rttv for tbe promotion of Ger