The Washington herald., 1918-07-02


posal of the Norris dry amendment
to the agricultural appropriation
bill is that 1t would put the coun-
try on a whisky basis during the
period which all men admit will be
the most critical Of the war.
The proposal comes from a man
who is a candidate for reelection
in a dry State and one cannot but
believe that this is what prompts
it's submission more than q down.
right desire to be OF use to the
country IN our great emergency.
This is q harsh thing to say and
yet there are members of the Sem
ate who say it Is the impelling con-
sideration in the minds OF some
men who are backing it.
One Senator had these words to
say which may be thought over
carefully by all OF US. They smack
OF the utmost truth. They are
worth repetition here because We
are in the most serious struggle of
our existence nationally. Said he:
THE time has come when Con-
gress should take q firm stand
against those interests-and there
are many of them-whichN are seek
ing to take advantage of our great
emergency to further their own in
terests. Their own interests they
deem superior to the national in
terests. The time has come when
we must decide against them with
firmness or we are lost in this war.
These are strong words but I mean
them"
The instances are numerous 20
support this statement. They will
be more numerous as time goes on
unless Congress speaks with the
utmost firmness. In the instance
OF the dry amendment, by way Of
illustration. the continuation of
the country on its present basis
would not be nearly as serious as
the imposition of the whisky basis
upon the country during the most
critical period of the war. The
danger would be more serious by
far than by continuing the brew
ing of beer, indeed it might become
81 SCIiOus thdA ~ NOulu ms duOuI
irreparable losses to us and a re-
tardation of our fight which would
make 1t a longer war and with a
consequent larger loss of life.
With the above-quoted Senator
we say '1et all interests seeking
to take advantage of our emergency
to further their own ends stop at
once. Let them give up their fights
until we have won the greater
fight" And this. it appears to us,
would look like common sense for the
fight we are now in is costing lives
and the matters they want US to
pay attention to might only prolong
our agony. Let them wait.
Soldiers in this nation cannot
drink of any intoxicants-and SOL
diers OF this nation on the other
side cannot drink to excess OF in
toxicants. This is enough. quite
enough, for the prohibitionists-or
1t should be-and yet strangely they
are not content to let the matter
end there. They want to pursue IT,
over Presidential opposition, until
they win every point they make
And the worst of it is they arc
arousing all the advocates of the
prohibition in the country to q
false understanding of the situa-
tion. They are misleading the pro-
hibitionists OF the internal sections
of the nation to the point of utter
Misrepresentation all to fur
ther their end and to make indi-
vidual candidates. for the Senate
and House loom up better with the
people. The times call for men oi
courage and men of discretion-it
Is a pity that there are so many
members of Congress ready to as
sumo other roles.
What most men need is tolerance-ant
what most of the members of Con-
gress need In overwhelming doses
Is tolerance. When the time comes
for boys now serving in the ranks
of our great army to come to Wash
ingtoh as members of the Upper and
Lower Houses we will find this in
great degree. We warn the present
members that intolerance of theiI
brand cannot last. The men who
will take their places are going tc
be bred to a degree of tolerance
that will permit them to see some
or our vast problems in the light
of the national welfare and not the
welfare of any particular. ambitious
individual or ambitious group OF
ambitious individuals. While our
men sTs agRting hngaads and Xhils