New-York tribune., 1919-05-12
Amendment and War Meas
lre To Be Attacked From
Two Angles by Representa-
tives Haskell and Callivan
Legion to Take Hand
Fighters Out for Light
Wines and Beer for the
Workingmen of Country

Action in nationwide fight against
prohibition is to begin with the open
ing of Congress next Monday. The
Headquarters of the Association Op-
posed to National Prohibition, 19 West
Forty-fourth Street, announced yester
day that the enforcement of prohibi-
ton will be attacked from two angles.
They are:
The Federal prohibition amendment.
due to become effective next January
l6, will be attacked by Representative
Reuben L. Haskell, Of Brooklyn. He
will introduce in Congress a resolu
ton for the repeal of the amendment.
Another resolution will be introduced
by him calling for referendum vote
of each state on the prohibition
amendment.
The Sheppard amendment to the ag
ricultural war emergency measure,
which makes prohibition effective next
July /, will be attacked by Represen-
tative James A. Gallivan, Of Massachu-
setts.
Test Case Planned
The anti-prohbition forces thus
hope to put prohibition to a test in
Congress before it becomes effective
throughout the country.
Mr. Haskell yesterday, in a state
ment outlining the associations pro-
posed fight, declared that prohibition
savored of Relationship
L: 80. i
to stand free America will soon be
faced with series of blue laws, which
will make honest people feel like crimi
nails when they attempt to exercise
personal liberty" said Mr. Haskell.
"When we come to consider that the
history Of prohibition in this country
has been a chain of statutory enact
ments and that it has never been
really sought by the people, I believe
that Congress, ii it must meddle at all
with the state, should have considera-
ton enough for the will of the people
to specify that constitutional prohibi
ton must be ratified in a referendum
to the people cf the several states.
May seek Iepcal
Il am going to Washington next
Thursday or Friday to begin my cam
paign against Federal prohibition
along these lines. ! shall hold confer
cnces with my friends as soon as l get
there. Some of them voted for the
amendment, but now that they have
had opportunity to observe that state
loc LOT l,ouO rofifioG
ment when the people of the states, or
some of the states, had already re-
peatedly voted down prohibition, |
know congressman are farsighted and
fa;r-minded enough to reverse their
votes.
81 am going to ask that the Federal
prohibition amendment be resubmitted.
The time is coming, anyhow, when the
people will demand the referendum on
this and all other matters restricting
their liberties or changing their con-
duct in affairs which are not Of them
selves immoral or evil. If it be nee
csgary to introduce a measure calling
for repeal | will do that; but my plan
is to ultimately let that repeal rest
with the people and not with the legis
latures.
"If Congress had the power to cali
for and obtain ratification from the
UcCSSSdiV iuiHDtT VI StdtSo IOi Il POpu-
lar election of United States Senator'S
as perpetual rule it ought certainly
to hayc the authority TO call for q
popular election on a matter which in
wolves the individual and inherent
rights of the citizen as prohibition
does"
Legion Against Prohibition
Charles II. Duell. jr, delegate at
large from New York State at the st.
Louis convention of the American Le-
gon, declared on his return last night
that the sentiment among the soldier
and sailor delegates against prob ibition
was such that he was certain that when
the legion is fully organized and meets
next November in Minneapolis light
wines and beer for workingmen will go
over the top With n bang"
Mr.. Duel offered the resolution de-
claring for light wines and beers at
the meeting of the New York State
Committee when it organized in ST.
Louis. He said that the feeling toward
prohibition among the soldiers could
be guessed at from the fact that there
were only two votes recorded against
the following resolution:
"Whcrcas. the officers and enlisted
men Of the American army, navy and
Marine Corps, while moro than two
million Of their number were fighting
abroad and at least another two
million were engaged in military SER
vice of the United States, have had
no chance or opportunity to express
their opinion on the question Of light
wines and beer, the use Of which was
permitted by tho American army in
france by military order; now, there
fore, be it
Resolved, that 1t is the sense of
the New York State Committee of
the American Legion, eliminating
whiskcy, the saloon and liquors con
tanning an obviously high alcoholic
pcrcentagc( that the anlc OF light
Il. l.. Al<,d