Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-06-12
DR.. BEvAN BATTLES BOOZE.
American Medical Association Head
Pleads For Prohibition.

| 'OoSo " tOhiDIttVUs
Chicago, June 12.-Every physician
and surgeon in America was appealed
to last night by DR.. Arthur Dean
Bevan, new president of the American
Medical Association. to help drive the
liquor business out of the United
States, mot as political measure, but
as the most important health measure
that could be secured"
The 1000 doctors had been welcomed
by Dr. E. w. Ficgenbaum, for the state
medical men and DR.. Charles E. Humis-
ton for the Chicago physicians, and had
heard Governor Lowden's stirring ad-
dress.
| Then came the address indicating
the associations policy for the next and
most crucial year of the war.
mo army has ever been modified
which has been as clean morally and
| free from social diseases as the present
American army" said DR.. Bevan.
Associated with this fact and re-
sponsible in large part for the splen-
did showing made Is the elimination
in large part of drink from the army.
Certainly no army has ever been
modified that has been as free from
drinking as the American army.
1T was fortunate that our mobiliza-
ton occurred at time when the
amount.of drinking in this country was
rapidly diminishing, and at time
when most of our states were going on
a prohibition basis.
Special efforts have been made by
the government in the way of laws
that have been enacted for this pur
pose to prevent drinking in army posts
and in territory Immediately con-
tiguous to them.
This leads me to a consideration
Of the problem of drinking and prohibit
ton as purely medical problem.
LAS we analyze the facts in a sci
entif1c and medical way. there can be
no doubt of the injurious effects Of al
coholic drinks both the physical and
mental well being of our population.
There can be no doubt that the great
est single factor that we can control
in the interests Of the public health
Of the nation would be the elimination
Of alcoholic drink.
'In the slow evolution Of civilization,
many great wrongs persisted for CEN
turtles because people had become so
accustomed to them that they were ac-
CepLeO as matters sol CouTse. lHey 10.
came 30 intrenehed that 1t required
either centuries OF education or revo-
luton to extirpate or right them.
"Great epidemics and plaques were
accepted as inevitable and as vista
lions Of God.
Government by autocratic power and
divine right without the consent Of the
government has been tolerated.
Slavery with its horrors was de-
Tended.
1.-THE unequal rights Of women went
unquestioned.
Among these great wrongs too long
tolerated. none has done more injury
to mankind than drink. Events now
are moving rapidly in the commissions
Of world war.
II want to plead for the united action
Of the organized medical profession Of
this country to secure prohibition by
law against the injury that drink is
doing to our people, not as political
measure, but as the most important
health measure that could be secured.
I'm this crisis when we and our allies
are fighting not only for ourselves but
also for humanity and civilization. we
must organize the entire nation in the
most efficient possible way, and this
can not be done without eliminating
drink"