The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-06-14
statement which is given in full be
low.
JAMES CANNON, JR.

Sir.--In your issue OF June IL in
an editorial, entitled Fighting Off
Legislative Raiders" you misrepre-
sent the attitude of President Wilson
toward prohibition legislation. Your
editorial states that President Wilson
has twice openly opposed mischievous
anti liquor legislation within less than
a year, and in support of this state |
ment you say:
But when the question of war
time prohibition arose, he president
WILSON, threw himself against the
original food conservation measure
and in his letter to DR.. James Can
non, Jr., he offered objection to the
Punishment of beer and light wines
that could not be overcome"
If the editor had read the cores
pondence between President Wilson
and the undersigned, he would not
have made that statement. President
Wilson did not in his letter to the
undersigned offer any objection 10 the
Punishment of beer and light wine. HIS
letter confined itself entirely TO the
question of the Importance of the I'M
mediate passage of the bill" the
president declared. Time is of the
essence, and yet 1t has become evident
that heated and protracted debate Will
delay the passage of the bill inden-
manufacture of beer and wine are re-
tanned and insisted upon. In these
circumstances / have not hesitated to
say to members OF the senate, who
have been kind enough to consult me
that II would undoubtedly be in the
public interest in this very critical
matter If the friends of those provi-
sions should consent to their elimina-
ton from the present measure. Feel
ing that your committee is actuated by
tho same patriotic motives which in
spire men, I am confident that these
considerations will seem to you as they
seem to me to be imperative"
The editor of the Times Dispatch
will note that there is not one word
of objection in this letter to the ban
ishment of beer and light wines. The
only question discussed by the presi
dent is the necessity for the immedi-
ate passage" of the food conservation
bill, and the recognition OF the fact
by the president that the friends OF
beer and wine had threatened an in
definite and protracted filibuster. The
president realized that it would be use
! less to appeal to the patriotism of the
liquor advocates. as they always placed
the interests of that traffic above the
| interests o fthe country, and so he APP
! pealed with confidence to the prohibit
I
! ton workers
| That confidence was not misplaced.
I Tor on the toHoWinS oay FepN vas
sent to the president by the prohibit
| ton leaders, stating that
@ are aware OF ths threats Hlaoe
/ oy me friends OF peer ana VINE IN the
senate Oh an ihueHnlte an" pto1r@'Ie',
/ tihbuster against those provisions OF
! the bill We beg to assure you that as
! patriotic Americans determined to up-
| hoid you as cofnnahdef-lh-ch let OF Inc
| army ana navy IN the present war we
| WIN not Tot our constituency olieF any
obstruction TO the proper passage o.
/ ing iooo controi Dill
! ne prohlblnoh workers having re-
| phed directly TO the presidents appeal
Tor urgency, then proceeded IN the
same ie'tef 70 state.
! we are glad TO note that your re
! q9tSt appIles ohlF 20 me pendihg 1000
! administration iegislalloh' IL viii be
our purpose TO urge the passage OF leg
iNiatloh pfohinlHhs the waste OF 1000
SUMS ana tae ahuiacture OF peer ana
| wines at the earnest possible cate,
| e'Iier III tue FORM Oh separate blil'
or IN connection WIN othef war iegis-
/ latlon'
congress ana the prohlbition work
ers poth clearly recognized that the
! r. nav NV N'tSl g" ""IN' tiNiiS
! 70 the bahIshment or peer ana IlEht
ms 'laI couio nor ne overcome, as
/ tHF lines biapatch declares IN us edl-
/ 'ollal OF June - On the contrary,
/ pfohloltloh workers frankly told the
! Piesi"t'i mat they would urge the
] p"Ssahe OF ioou conservation prohlbl-
,ioh ieSislauon AT the earliest possible
"aue'
nat the promotion leaders had not
! HisHteFpFeted the presidents attitude
"dN SHOWN by the fact that Two days
Iater me president wrote 10 the under
SlsHtu, as chairman OF the national
: ,eElsiatiNe committee or the Anti Sa-
,ooh league or America expressing
ms appreciation OF the prompt and
paliI o''c reply or the prohloltlon
VIZ NeiS ~ ms appeal
| ~ ~ eNlaent from the anoVe that
cSlucht wilson qua not openly op~
p,o'r. ih'ScHleNous ami nquor lesisia-
e4ou IN June l'l'. re SIMPLY APP
n,a I,. ~ 'He pdlrlo'Isi'i ol pFohipltlon
, VI NerS 10 agree 10 eliminate that reg
t t'o'!un from ehs 1000 Dill BECAUSE OF
J,fna ,'it ga ea'S oi ane tIaenas OF peer ana
| VINE nut ne expressed no judgment
,4t upoh me merits OF the regis