Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-02-28
AIM
DEFEAT Of
DIST||L|..E:RSS
BIG FUND ASKED
States viii Be Scene
of Referendum Vote is
Liquor Rings Threat

The "wets" and the "drys" are
their forces for bitter
fight over prohibition. The an
nouncement that the distillers,
supported by great array Of legal
talent, headed by Levy Meyer,
would spend hundreds of thou7
sands of dollars to kill the eight
zenith amendment to the consti-
tuition, has aroused the Anti
Saloon league to greater actiVl-
ties. DR.. f. C. Dinwiddlie and his
most forceful associates will meet
the "wets" on the hastings. They
will send out "four-minute men
to speak to the people, urging sup
port for the amendment and th5
proposed enforcement measure.
Important plans on the program
are:
i. That of the distillers and
others associated with them TO
have the supreme court hold that
the prohibition was not ratified
when Acting Secretary Of State
Polk proclaimed it, because III
fourteen states referendums were
not called for to approve the &C
ton Of the legislatures.
2. That of the prohibitionists 70
keep public sentiment in their
favor by sending speakers broad
cast to tell what the "wets' are
doing. For this work DR.. Din
widdie will select able stumpers.
He has on his list of orators
number Of prominent attorneys
and preachers. Representatives
Webb of North Carolina, Carlin
of Virginia, Barley of Kentucky
and Randall of California; Senl
tors Sheppard of Texas, Jones OF
washington, Kenyon or iowa and
Beckham of Kentucky; Secretary
Daniels of the navy and William
J. Bryan. The AntiSaloon league
forces can muster a list of first
class speakers.
While the fighting "drys" and
"wets'' are preparing for the tuS
of war; Washington citizens who
like their toddy regularly are
wondering what is going to hap
pen to them after the president
arrives in this country and signs
the revenue bill, which carries
provision to apply the Reed
"bone-dry" amendment to the
District of Columbia. The cellars
of many of Washington's leading
residents are filling rapidly with
the best of wines and liquors to
be had. For several weeks, ever
since it became apparent that
Washington was to come under
the scope of the bone-dry legisla-
ton, large orders for liquor have
been rushed to "wet" sections.
The express offices here are
damned with all sorts Of liquors.
Within the last few days liquor
makers and sellers have taken
"cold feet" and will not fill orders
for Washington. They are uncer-
tain of the ability of the express
people to deliver the goods before
the new law goes into effect.
Judging from the quantities of
''wet stock" received here during
January and February it will be
a long time before Washington
goes dry"
Fight on Referendum
It is evident now that the big
legal fight over prohibition will
be based on the claim Of the
"wets" in California and thirteen
other states that the referendum
must be applied before the ratifi-
cation Of the prohibition amend
ment is complete. An effort Will
be made to upset the proclama-
ton issued by the acting secretary.
of state. The attorneys for the,
"wets" believe that they will be
in the contention that
the amendment has not been legal
ly ratified.
Prohibition leaders here laugh
at the claim of the distillers that
they will carry thirteen out of the
fourteen referendum states. DR..
E. G.. Dinwiddie said no referen-
dunn is needed, but if the "wets''
should succeed in getting the ref
erendum states to vote they would
lose. Forty-four states have rati-
fed the amendment. Thirteen
from that would leave thisty-one.
five short Of two-thirds.
But all of the state mentioned,
oXceDt two. have voted for pro-
hibition.
Arkansas voted prohibition
upon herself by an Overwhelming
majority, DR.. Dinwiddie says.
Colorado went dry by large ma
iority, and an effort to reverse
Itself failed by a larger vote.
Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Ne
Oraska, Nevada, New Mexico,
Ohio, Oregon, Utah and Washing,
,on voted themselves dry. Mis-
souri, aDd California voted wet"