New-York tribune., 1918-01-28
Liquor Men Foes
Of Country, Bryan
Tells N. Y. Churches
They Would Make Drunk.
ards of Soldiers if Posi-
BILE, He Asserts
'Beerless Days Asked
Ex-Secretary, at Two Mass
Meetings, Urges Action
for Prohibition

Branding all distillcrs. brewers and
saloonkecpers traitors 10 the country's
cause, William Jennings Bryan made
an argument for prohibition before
two mass meetings of New York church
members yesterday. First he addressed
the representatives of twelve churches
OF the Washington Heights section in
the Fort Washington Presbyterian
Church, l74th Street and Broadway.
The second meeting, last night. was
held in st. PauPs Methodist Episcopal
Church. Eighty sixth Street and West
End Avenue. At each rally the former
Secretary of State called upon New
York to join the ranks of the white
ribboners.
every saloon owner. distillcr and
brewer IN this country" he said, "would
ma Ike drunkards of all your soldiers
and leave You dcfencclcss if thcv but
had the opportunity
MIR. Bryan's Verbal Shafts
Other verbal shafts hurled by Mr.,
Bryan were:
"Thcy the brewers are taking bread
away from your children to make
hquor. | have heard, as YOU all have
heard, the cdict establishing meatlcss
days, wheatless days and hcatlcss days
why doesn't some one suggest a few
'bccrless' days?
"Thcy'vc passed law making it a
criminal offence to dare sell liquor to
a man in uniform. We should have
another law making everybody wear a
uniform.
"Ihc law forbidding drink to soldiers
was passed because alcohol is an
uncompronislng enemy of the human
race. and if it is necessary to keep our
men on the firing line 100 per cent
pure the men at home who arc manu-
featuring ammunition and producing
1000 must be 100 per cent pure.
"Of course. the liquor interests Of
New iorA state want referendum
vote on the prohibition question: They
are counting upon the overwhelming
wet vote in the large cities neutral
izing the dry vote of the smaller
cities.
"You stand idly by and license sa-
Icons so men can get drunk and then
your courts fine them for getting
drunk. You arc in partnership with
inc liquor interests. Legitimate busi-
nesSes advertise their finished product,
D'd YOU ever sec saloon advertise its
hnlShed' product in it's window? It
calls for the law to drag him away and
h'dc him until he sobcrs up"
After the speaker had concluded by
calling upon church members of New
York to work untiringy for the elm
lnatIon of the liquor traffic, the dele
gates from tho Washington Heights
churches represented in the audience
passed three resolutions. The first
called upon the state legislators repre-
sentlng that district to ratfy the fed
cral amendment providing prohibition;
inc second urged support of prohibit
'ion by their Representatives in Con
gress, and the third insisted that tho
Federal Food Administrator and his
representatives in this state issue a de-
cree torbidding the use of malt and
other food grains in the manufacture of
lntoN'cating beverages.
after the meeting Mr. Bryan was
asked to comment on the probability of
peace resulting from President Wi
sons declaration. He replied:
was glad whom the President
ISSUED his statement of war aims. be-
cause J thought it would bring about
counter statements and the discussion
would lead to final agreement"