Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-06-12
ATTITUDE OF WILSON
TOWARD PROHIBITION
Bishop Jnmrs Connan, Jr., Says ID Has
Been Misrcprcscntcd by The
Times- Dispatch.

Timer-Dispatch.
To the Editor of The Times Dispatch
Sir,-jn your issue OF June IL III an
editorial entitled Fighting on Leg is
latiNe Raiders" YOU nisrepresent the
attitude Of President Wilson toward
prohibition legislation. Your editorial
states that President Wilson has twic,
openly opposed mischievous antiliauor
legislation within less than u year.
and III support OF this statement you
say:
But when the question of wartime
prohibition arose. lie Hrcsihent Will
son threw himself againS, the origi nal
his letter 10 pr. James Cannon. Jr. he
offered objection To the Punishment Of
beer and light wines that could not be
. overcome"
pondencc between President Wilson
and the undersigned. he would not
have made that statement. President
Wilson did not in his letter 10 the
undersigned offer any objection 10 the
I Punishment Of beer and light wine. His
letter confined itself entirely to the
4 question Of the Importance OF the inn
mediate passage Of the bill" The
/ President declared: Time is Of the
essence, and yet il has become evident
that heated and protracted debate Will
delay the passage OF the bill indci-
nitely, il the provisions affecting the
manufacture of beer and wine re
tanned and insisted upon. In these
circums tances | have not hesitatcd to
say 10 members OF the Senate. who
have been kind enough To consult me
that it would undoubtedly be i'll the
public interest i'll this very critical
matter il the friends OF those provis-
/ ions should consent to their climua-
| ton from the present measure. Feel
I ins that your committee is>acuated by
ht rln hiHh n
/ spire men, ! am confident that these
considerations viii seem TO you as they
Seem 10 mo 10 lie Imperative"
The editor OF The Times pispatch
/ vii! note that there is not one word
I Of objection in this letter TO the ban
shmcnt of beer and ligh; wines. The
only question discussed by the Presi-
dent is the necessity for the inmedi
ate passage of the fool 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 tilibuster. The
President realized that il would be use
less to appeal to the patriotism of the
liquor advocates. as they always placed
the interests OF that trafiic above the
interests of the country, and 50 he ap-
pealed with confidence to the prohibit
tion workers.
That confidence was not misplaced.
for on the following day reply was
sent 10 the President by the prohibition
leaders. stating that:
I'VE are aware of the threats made
! by the friends of beer and wine IN the
Senate of All indefinite and protracted
I fl:buster against those provisions OF
/ the bill We beg TO assure you that as
! patriotic Americans. determined 10 up-
/ hold you as comma nder in-chicf Of the
army and navy IN the present war.
win not for our consistency offer any
obstruction to the prompt passage o,
the food control bill"
The prohibition workers having re-
piled directly to tho Presidents appeal
for urgency. then proceeded in the same
letter 10 state:
w. ere glad to note that your re
quest anplies only To- the pending food
administration legislation. 1t viii hc
our nurpose to urge the passage ~ leg
isla,ion prohibiting the waste Of foad-
stuffs and the manufacture Of beer and
wines At the earliest possible date,
either in the form Of separate hin.
or in connection with other war leeiS.
laiion."
Congress and the prohibition workers
both clearly recognized that the Prcsi-
dent had not offered objections TO the
hsniShmcnt OF hecr and light wines
that could not b.. overcome" as TN"
Tim IS Dispatch declares in its editorial
81 June l. On the contrary, prohih.-
tion workers frankly told the Prcsi-
dsrt that they woald urge the ~ ssaG re
~ tood conservation prohibition legis-
ia'ipn at the earliest possible date"
THAT the prohibition leaa.rs had no'
. misint"rprctcd the Presidents attitude
vas shown 10y tho fact that two davs
! later The i'ras lGcut wrote - tho under
signed AS chairman ~ The naliouaI
.cptSlat.v" committee ot nc Anti 81
loon League OF America. expressing his
. appreciation Of tho "promnt and "a
/ tr'oiic reply" Of the prohibition work
/ .fs 10 his appeal
II is evident from the above ,h.r
Preaidcn; Wilson did not openly az
pose misckieyoGa anti!iGunr legisia-
ton IL June 1917. He simulv aDnealed
to the patrioii-m Of proh!hition work
erS to agree 70 eliminate that iegisia-
t!on from the food hill beCauS. Of the
,hreatr " tine friends Of beer aud win.
but lie expressed no Judgment whatever
upon ,ae merits Of the Legislation IL
self.
Th" Times Dispatch likewise misin-
terrreta the present situation II has
ne"n recognized from tho first tha;
IA" Randall am +ndmcnl was escced-
inglN unfortunate ~ the form in which
IL ~" presented and 3,tiopted ana the
t"usr adopted it because an ain.nJ-
r"nt in the form Of STRAIGHT nrohi-
hition Of the gse II food:tuns would
nave necn ruled ont on a point nf ar
( Ger ana the only way 10 reach the Do
slrea result under the rules nf ne
House Was by some such nropusi,inn
.s ne Randall amendment The Iiourn
majority IN v"tn. for that amendment
dlh 20 WIN the general uudcrsi.ndirp
maj ~ would lac modified and 81, in
form ln The senate coinmitic. thai
would SccGrc = "traign, vot.l on proh;hl-
ion without INC obnnxiots condition.
attached. President Wilson very nat
"raily opposed the randall amendment
~ ~" form ia which IT passed m.
liohs". and the reason he assigned ..t.
nus opposition. namely. that bv tn.
adoption Of The amendment IN. con.
SUMPTION Of WHISKY would he sti,r,,.
lated and increased Ia a very cnnsid.r
TH|C Ie THE