The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1917-12-23
Says ProhibitiOnists of State
Should Unite on Stand
ard Bearer
SUGGESTS CANDIDATES
SELECT A COMMITTEE
TO NAME THE MAN
Holds Federal Amendment Greatest
Christmas Gift Offered People
Since the Birth of Christ.
Would Lead Fearlessly

Ill
Would Lead Fearlessly
By HARRY vi. AYERS
Admission, December 22.--(Special)-In
an interview given out here Saturday
afternoon, Lieut.. Gov. Thomas f.. Kilby,
the Admission man who is conceded to
have a big lead over all other candidates
in the race for the office of chief ex-
ecutive, termed the prohibition constitu-
tional amendment THE greatest Christ
mas gift that has been offered the peo-
pie of the world since the birth of the
Babe at Bethlehem" and he expressed
willingness, If necessary. to sacrifice
his personal ambition to be governor on
the altar of nationwide prohibition
GREAT BATTLE IN STATE
THE action of Congress in submitting
to the several state legislatures the
question of national prohibition" he
says, has made Alabama the Marine on
which this great battle for morality and
enlightened economy is to be settled in
America for all time. We are called
upon to decide" he declared, whether
tribution of wealth shall be furthered in
this state, or whether we shall turn Ala
bama over once more to the invading
corruptionists, who seek to further fat
ten their selfish Golfers at the expense
of our peoples health, happiness and
general well being"
Mr.. Kilby, who has just returned from
visit to the Kilby frog and switch
plant in Birmingham. was seen at his
MT a
bank and asked for a statement in re-
gard to the act of Congress submitting
the question of national prohibition,
| whereupon he said:
GREATEST CHRISTMAS GIFT
THE act of Congress in sumtting
to the legislatures of the several states
an amendment to the federal consti-
tuition to bring about national prohi-
bition in the United States is, in my
/ opinion the greatest Christmas gift
that has been offered the people of the
world since the birth of the Babe
! of Bethlehem.
There have been heretofore IT
/ amendments to our organic law, and
\ the one we now have the privilege Of
passing upon is greater than them all,
transending in its Importance any
measure that has ever been submitted
| to a sovereign people, touching as 1t
+ does upon the moral, spiritual, physi-
/ cal, intellectual and material interests
| of our populace.
1.-THE prohibition amendment will
bring good cheer into millions of
homes. 1t will bring pean of praise
d for the thousands upon thousands of
| signs in mothers breasts; 1t will give
smiles for tears. gladness for sadness
/ and mercy for madness. 1t will replace
squalor with comfort, will drive hun
+ ger and want from the home and sup
| plant therein happiness and content
ment. 1t will make godly men of
gluttons, and will rob greed of his
CORY garner, driving out the old
shapes of foul disease and bringing
back the wellsprings of health. wealth
and wisdom
NEW DECLARATION
This amendment is new Declara-
/ ton of independence, and it appeals to
our patriotism. It's ratification will be
! a blow to Germany. for when we read
over the names of brewers and dis
tillers of America we may well mag
inc ourselves in Berlin, which looks to
booze sold in America for much money
to keep up the war to crush out Amer
lean ideals and the lives of the Amer
| lean youth. Autocracy and alcohol are
making their last stand in common
/ war. and they shall go down together
/ on common ground. They are the tools
of treachery, treason. conspiracy and
oppression, and they must give way to
larger liberty justice and humanity.
And when the President of the Uni
ted States affixes his signature to this
amendment, he will have done bigger
thing than the Emperor of China, who
put an end to opium with one stroke of
his pen. For opium was a curse to China
almost alone. while whisky is a curse
to the world: and just as the world
| looks to America today to lead in the
new battle for liberty. even so do the
/ millions of men and women in all the
F. nations of the earth look to us to put
an end to the great alcoholic demon that
4 is more deadly than war and whose apol-
/ ogists are more accursed than the Kai-
ser.
SANITY VS.. VICE
| This act of Congress has made Ala
/ bama the Marine on which this great
battle for morality and enlightened econ
omy is to be settled for all time. We
are called upon to decide whether SAN
ity, righteousness. law and order and
| an equal distribution of wealth shall be
| furthered in this state, or whether we
/ shall turn Alabama over once more to
4 the invading corruptionists who seek to
/ fatten their selfish Golfers at the ex-
pense of our peoples health, happiness
| and general well being.
TRUE PROHIBITION
1 'InlS means tndI no true pTOHlDltlCH-
| ist no man who has the largest welfare
| of his state and nation at heart, can af-
| ford to compromise. The issue calls for
| patriotism and sacrifice. 1t overrides
personal interests and personal ambi-
| lions. We cannot afford to take a
chance. We must meet the enemy with
| a united front, and we must be so ce-
| mented in our stand that no Bolsheviki
| from within and no insinuating enemy
from without can disrupt our ranks,
or rob US of a rightful victory. Person
! ally, I believe the time has arrived for
the prohibitionists of the state to get
| together as they have never been to-
| gether before. We should decide on one
standard bearer and while 1 should be
i 10th to give up the advantages l now
: hold, / am willing to arbitrate my claims
| for continuance in the race before such
| prohbitionists as the candidates of this
persuasion may select. Let us, say. Sc
| lect three men each and among us Sc
| lect a seventh man that will be sausfac-
tory to all.
WILL LEAD FEARLESSLY
IF am selected as the general of the
prohibition forces of the state, l shall
lead the army with the best of my abil-
ity, fearlessly and whole-heartedly. If
there be stronger man than myself, l
shall Loyalty follow his leadership.
Be this as it may. the issue is the
tPduecohPd enoe pan { should be unwill-
Methodist Episcopal church, south, in [
clu0eS the general eooearapca AVIAN. n