The Washington herald., 1917-12-03
MOOIFIED Beer
MEANS DUYU.S,
BRYAN ASSERTS
Nebraskan Tells W. {. T,U,
Convention Nation Will
Accept Prohibition.

wuIiam JenninEs Bryan. speaking
- tho nrst formal session Of the an
nuaI convention of the National
Wolnan's ChTIstIAn Temperance
Inion IN Polls Theater yesterday aft
noon d.clared that the Presidents
action In reducing the alcoholic con-
tent % beer was a great step toward
national prohibition. The action OF
tho President. Mr.. Bryan continued.
m,ans that ~ per cent of grain here
toGorc converted into alcoholic bever-
ages will b. saved for table use.
CoI. Bryan predicted that submis-
sion Of n national prohibition reso-
luton to the states for ratification is
at hand. and that. with twenty-six
states already dry. with Kentucky
certain to go dry soon. with Missouri,
uur.ide OF ST. Louis. practically pro-
Fibition territory. with California,
outside Of San Francisco. fast becom-
ing prohibition territory. ratification
by the necessary number of States
would seem certain before 1920.
Failure to suspend the manufacture
of beer entirely. he said. because such
action would put the country on
whisky basis. means that but one
argument can be advanced in future
on the prohibition '.Iestion. the one
suggested by the Presidents action.
All other arguments. he asserted. are
thereby repudiated, and the liquor in
terests thus struck blow from
which they cannot recover.
Col. Bryan said Congress is left free
10 act and should lose no time in
saying that there shall be no con-
version of foodstuffs into beer or
whisky: that a message should 60 to
the men on the firing line assuring
them that not one single bushel of
: foodstuffs shall be denied them as a
result of its use in the making of
alcoholic liquors.
lie concluded by saying that as a
democracy means the rule of the
people. the people should not be
Il. MED the privilcse of expressing
themselves on prohibition.
Miss Anna \. Gordon, OF Evanston.
H.. national president of the W. c.
T. L. presided at afternoon and
evening sessions. In the evening ses-
sion Miss Jeanette Rankin, member
of Congress from Montana. who was
scheduled to speak. was unable to be
present. being detained at LeXing-
ton. Va. Miss Rankin will speak later
i'm the week. Mrs. Mary Harris
-NrTor. of Georgia, spoke in place of
Miss Rankin.
Mrs. Carrie Chapman Gait. presi-
dent OF the National Woman Suf-
trage Association; Mrs. Philip North
Moore. president the National Coun-
Gil OF Women: Mrs. Frederic Schoff.
president of the National Mothers
Congress and Parent-Teacher As
ISOLATION. and Mrs. William F. Nc
eign Missionary Society of the
Methodist Episcopal Church. extend
ed greetings to the delegates.
Special features today will be the
annual address by Miss Gordon, ma
tiOnal president: report OF the execu-
tive committee; appointment of COM
mittees on credentials. publications,
courtesies, subscriptions to the unions
JLbIications;. reports of the cor
-cspondinG secretary. Mrs. Frances
p. Parks; treasurer. Mrs. Margaret
=. Munns; auditor. Edwin NJ. Pierce.
and branches of the w. c. T. U.
Mr.. BrOwnIow Speaks.
District Commissioner Louis P.
BTOwnlOw. at the evening session,
will welcome the convention dele
"ates to Washington. A. Leftwich
Sinclair. president of the Chamber
cf Commerce; W. T GaIliher. presi-
6ent Of the Board of Trade; the Rev
I:crle Whitley and Mrs Emma San
ford shelton. president of the Dis
triCt W. c. T. L. also will make ad-
dresses. Responses will be by Mrs
Culla J. Nayhingcr. president of the
Indiana w. c. 7. L. and Miss Mary
r. w. Anderson. of the Young
Peoples branch
Miss Gordon presided at the ses-
siOns yesterday. The first was held
at Metropolitan Methodist Episco-
pal Church at 10 o'clock, followed
by convention sermon at II O'Clock
hy the Rev. Harry d. Mitchell, and
a special program. At the afternoon
session in Polls Theater, in addi-