The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-06-16
THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN.


the wonderfully alert metropolitan
papers Of America have looked ask
ance. put the finger to the nose and
all alike gone on and forgotten what
mighty upheaval OF old orders Is
going on throughout the world. sec
ond only to the world war itself. A
thing that few years-yea. A few
Honths-ago was pooh-poohed and
haw-h awed at in America has set the
world ahame.
There came to Richmond Virginia,
this week a contingent of foreign
and dom este notables from a mar
velous world conference in Washing
ton. ID. C., an occasion which the
Washington press disposed OF In a
few inches OF space. They came to
Richmond to do honor to probably the
first state that began the crusade In
earnest. the one to spread the leaver
throughout thirty-five states; and this
America ia now making the world sit
up and take notice. Newspapers and
readers not indifferent, who see the
handwriting on the wall, will readily
catch 1t that we mean the movement
against alcoholic drink.
In that notable four day conference
in the Billy Sunday tabernacle at the
nations capital was gathered hug.
congregations. Men Of note, of sci
ence representing officially sixteen
nations and forty languages of the
globe had come there. Delegates from
New Zealand. earnest, devout and zeal
Gus, paying their own way. had trav-
eled ever since Good Friday 70 as
semble for few days to show and
learn how to save mankind and un-
horn generations from the evil Of
drink.
And why in Washington, And why
did the great lights of England, Scot
land, Syria and France accompany
Bishop Cannon, VIM. Jennings Bryan
and DR., Howard Russell to Nicrinta:s.
cap1tai' Because, in their words.
America was furnishing the pep ard
inspiration in this world crusa dc even
as she did in the world war And
Virginia was visited because here the
first reaifs sting results against the
saloon found cradle.
Some twenty years ago handful
or good men met In the basement Of
the Second Baptist church In Rich
mond corner of Sixth and Main Dr.
Russell. the founder of the Anti-Sa-
loon league in America, tells that there
the seed was sown. Possibly two o.
that handful were present at the au-
ditorium this week-James Cannon,
Jr., and another. The newspapers
made no note OF the meeting. except
to say that these men think they can
turn the world upside down The pub
lie did not until years afterward know
what the walls OF this old church had
sent forth to the world.
When the constitutional amendment
was adopted by congress. Mr.. Bryan
remarked that It might take seven
years for two-thirds of the states to
ratify. The liquor element and met
ropolitan dailies laughed. They said
We can hold thirteen states and they
cannot get thirty-six SO they again
passed it as joke. When states be-
gan to tumble-Misstssippi first. Viz
GINA second. Kentucky third, South
Carolina fourth, and then the lists
switched to the north--the ants again
sneered and said, well, they have to
get seventy-two bodies OF legislatures.
senates and houses. and we have only
to hold thirteen feither Houses or
Senates) from ratifying Then they
said we can hold the big states and
the fanatics can have <he small ones /
But when the big four-New York, |
with a rush, the brewers and others |
rubbed their eyes and found they
had. and have. only three small states !
left to them--Rhode Island. Connect |
cut and New Jersey:
In the short period Of a year ana |
half America has decided asains. |
alcohol. and the foreign notahles say
we are pointing the way to the whole /,
world to break off the shackles Of the |,
Demon Rum.