New-York tribune., 1919-06-03
William III. Anderson Tells
Anti.Saloon League Forces
That Catholic Faction Is
Working With Brewers
Sees Presidential Plan
Declares ''Wet" Churchmen
and Liquor Interests
United for N. Y. Governor

William II. Anderson. state super
intendent of the Anti-Saloon League,
yesterday at largely attended meet
ing of clergymcn, principally Method
lists, at $50 Fifth Avenue, attacked Jo-
seph P. Tumulty, the Presidents secre-
tary, practically charging him with re-
sponsibility for the Presidents recon-
mendation of the reapeal of war pro-
hibition. Mr.. Anderson's subject was
Does the President Reflect American
Convictions on the Prohibition Issue? ?"
He said in part:
"The President is unfortunate in the
fact that the personnel of his closest
advisers seems to be so constituted
that it is possible for the brewers to
get their stuff directly to him, as has
been proved by their accurate admitted
advance information as to his inten-
tions respecting beer, whereas there is
nobody equally close who is disposed
to interpret fairly the prohibition SEN
timent of the nation. In view of some
phases of the activity of his own sec
retary. Joseph P. Tumulty, the time
has come for little plain talking.
League Not Anti-Catholic
"The AntiSaloon League is not anti
Catholic and the Catholic Church is
not pro-liquor. as shown by its Off
cial utterances and proved by the fact
that there are many committees
which could not possibly have been
voted dry or kept dry, if there had
not been strong Catholic support of
prohibition. 1t is time for somebody
to say, so the public will know, that
a certain element of the Catholic
Church in New York last fall delb-
erately and stealthily went out to put
over a Catholic Governor by arousing
religious prejudice through systematic
circulation of the mendacious false
hood that the success of the opposing
candidate, who happened to be a Prot
estant and committed to prohibition,
would interfere with religious liberty
and prevent the securing # wine for
sacramental uses in connection with
the observance of the mass
THE talk of running the New York
Governor for President looks like these
wet" Catholics, who are defenders of
the liquor traffic before they are de-
tenders of any faith, having played
the trick successfully once with re-
est state of the Union, now intend to
sneak up on the off side of this moral
issue and capture the Presidency in
1920 by secret coalition between the
German brewers and certain ecclesi-
astics who expect to deceive the hon
est, well-meaning, patriotic member
ehip of the Church by false statements
to the effect that the Church itself IS
being sssailed.
DO Not Accuse President
we do not intimate that the Presi
dent personally is party to any such
thing, but his secretary is very
jealous, ubiqitous politician. The
drink bill of this country has been
estimated at two and half billions
year. Six months and fifteen days
Of additional time, when prices are
abnormally high, would open up pos
sibilities OF profiteering operations
running into the billions of dollars. A
very small percentage of this amount
contributed by the liquor interests to
the Democratic party in 1920, through
organizations such as Tammany, would
give that party and its nominees the
greatest campaign fund in the history
CT the nation, with which the brewers
and certain other elements centring
in the big cities of the North and East
might secretly attempt to pack Demo
cratic state conventions throughout
the nation and put over on the party
as whole, in spite of the splendid
morality and fearless prob bition
stand of the rank and lie of the Demo
cratic party in the South and West, a
nominee and a platform favoring
liquor and notification"