The Washington herald., 1918-09-18

Amen property custodian Palmer 3
description Of a Washington news
paper bought by German-American
brewers to aid in the preservation OF
so-called ''temerate'' alcoholic drinks,
as well as in propaganda favorable
to Germany, seems to fit just one
paper in the Capital-'The Washing
ton Times which has been owned
and edited by Hearst's man, Arthur
Brisbane, since June a6, 1917.
No other Washington newspaper
has changed hands recently-unless the
transfer has been kept as thoroughly
under cover as the fact that German
American beer money had. bought a
mouthpiece almost in the shadow of
the Capitol.
The first editorial appearing in The
Times after Frank A. Munsey an
nounced Brisbane's purchase and con-
troll Of the paper went straight to the
mat for light wines and beer 1t
was headed To the United States
Senate and il dealt with what Bris-
bane considered the grave danger that
prohibition of the manufacture of
beer and whiskey would leave the
country with no considerable supply
of beer on hand. while four or FIVE
years Of whisky acumulations in
bond would be dumped on the public
over the bars.
-Whfsky7 Always Denoaneed.
THE editorial began: ~.
Is il good thing to make this a
whisky drinking natfon2
Will you vote TO make whisky the
only alcoholic drink obtainable in the
United States, forbidding the manu-
facture of light beer that millions of
.foa "a I,-1 -
This line OF argument was a favor
ite with the Times. In all cases its
temperance appeals in editorials and
cartoons held up whisky as the hor-
Tible example. Almost invariably they
looked and sounded like prohibition
until the reader came across the light
wines and beer joker.
''On June 80. 1917, when II became
certain that Congress would iCgislate
distilled spirits out OF existence, but
leave wine and beer, the Times de-
voted a long editorial to the celebra-
ton Of what II called Hearst's vic
tory:
William Randolph Harst wins a
fight that has lasted twenty years.
For twenty years Mr.. Hearst in
all his newspapers, from New York to
oan Francisco, has kept up the fight
against whisky
Fight for Beer Not Cited.
THE editorial did not add that Mr..
Hearst had just as steadily kept up
the fEht for beer.
"Today's Times carries the same
message. Discussing The Problems
of Prohibition It says:
Very serious VIII be the problem
confronting the government when II
comes to enforcing the absolute pro-
hibitlon. which is to begin IN the
United States on the 1st Of next
July.
European countries. where the gov
srnment fights whisky. brandy and
all poisonous alcoholic spirits, the
milder stimuIants that many nations
use temperately, light wine and beer,
are allowed. And this makes easier
the fight upon whisky. For where
the mild stimulants abe to be bought
openly, as in France, England ard
Italy, the trade OF the Illegal hisky
maker Is not profitable and it
dies.
'''In Thomas Jerferson's day the
national drink of the United States
was whisky. Drunkenness then was
probably ten times more common than
today, and jefferson did not exag-
gerate when he said that in the
United States whisky killed a third
OF all the citizens and ruined their
families.
Cites Jefferson Letter.
Jefferson advocated in his let
ter to the Legislature Of Virginia and
IN other cities the encouragement of
light wines and beer as the only way
0f hzhting whisky.
This newspaper In its fight against
whisky and drunkenness has advo-
Gated the theory and advice of Thomas
Jefferson. believing that while total
abstinence would be the ideal condi-
ton. IL would be difficult. perhaps
impossible, to enforce 1t legally,
whereas the elimination of whisky
without legal prohibition of the very
mild stimulants that other nations use
temperately, might solve the problem
more simply
THE other features Of the taking
over the Times by Brisbane are IN
teresting In connection with A.
Mitchell Pamer's story Of German
American brewery money buying a
Washington daily.
The first Is the wording Of the as-
nouncement wherein Mr.. sIunsey iR-
troduced the new owner of the Tirres
to Its readers on June IS. 1917 Part
OF II emphasized the amount OF moEey
that Brisbane ha&ready and his seem
ing willingness to paw a high price
for the property:
I have sold the Washington Times
to Arthur Brisbane. didnr sell il
because wished to part with IL
sold il because Mr.. Brisbane was
Seenly anxious to own 1t and paid me
bigger price for it than It was worth
70 me-
sect Us 0ut Of war.
The second interesting feature OF
the change in ownership was the i'm
mediate injection in The Times esfi-
torial columns Of matter unfavorsble