The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-09-18
"pUssYFooT'' JOHNSON AND BRITISH
CAMPAIGN AGAINST LIQUOR TRADE

The cables aud the mails hare
rought occasional references TO the
activities OF william +. Johnson.
known az "pu@yfoot" from his az
; plotts in raidng liquor joints ON In
dian reservations in the old days. who
fIs now abroad representing the Anti
Saloon League ~ America. In Eng
land particularly where he has
hcadquart ers Mi. Johnson's comings
and goinEs have attracted so much
attention that the Manchester Guar
dian speaks OF him editoriatly as THE
Nan of the Moment" and says:
/ ut Is 10 be presumed that 1t was
some ability for stealth and an in
sdious advance towards hts chosen
end that earned for Mr.. w. f. John
son In America the nickname Of
POssyfoot" II such qualities were
ever essential To Mfr. Johnson's cam
Iaign, the press of this country may
certainly fatter itself that it has bell
cd this particular eat we'll beyond any
hope nf eiandestfae movement. Mr..
Johnson, II seems, has been convert ed,
not only in this country hut over a
large part of Europe, into one of the
most noteworthy men of the moment.
Scandinavia. whence he has Just re-
turned to London. rang with extracts
from tho English papers even before
he had arrived here and In these
islands he has grown SO distinguished
that one In only surprised that some
enterprisinc music hall manager has
not invited him TO diversity a variety
g, are program by an explanation
cf his mission. Seeing that most of
those who have exuherantly thrust
this fame upon him would presum-
ably like TO have that mission frus-
t~ated. It may &c doubted whether
Trey have served their own ends with
any great foresight. There are safer
methods of contr oversy than adver-
Using ones opponent and from the in
terview with him that we publish
today Mr., Johnson seems. after all
tc be one OF those particularly dan
eerous opponents who have case
iaid know how to state It with moder-
'ation and success.
His mission. he explains, Is merely
10 lay before British minds the
facts and objects of prohibition in
] America the why and how OF what
is at least a profoundly interestins 8.
experiment. II this is an interference
with our sovereign rights. what is TO
re said about the British sharehold-
grs in American hreweries who pc
titioned the tign office to extract
compensation for tho financial effects
20 them of the United States law
Surely those who choose have a right
! TO hear what American supporters of
! prohibition have 10 say about their
law. 1t may, perhaps. be remarked
! mat this sweetly reasonable Mr.
| johnson r. possibly reformed char
! actcr, tempered by the trihulations
with which Journalistic humorists
r "a al "
certainly he can now afford 10 Law
aside any extravaganza of propa-
ganda- For the time being he Is as
Sured or an audience anywhere.
/ though he recited to 1t nothing more
controversial than the multiplication
table"
In the same issue. the Mancheste.
Guardian prints the following rapor,
or an Interview with Mr.. johnson IN
| London:
IT is just about Ave weeks since the
liquor trade in Great Britain was
thrown into state of CONSERVATION
by the news that Mr.. w +. johnson
the able organiser of the American
Anti Saloon league. was In charge OF
an office in London from which nro-
paganda waE TO be carried on. Since
that time Mr., Johnson has been In
Finland, and attending the Northern
/ 4,
and for the past few days lin Scotland
where he has been comforting with
leading temperance workers Now he
Is back in London.
Il understand you have been hav-
ing n sort Of Sioux Indian ghost dance
over my affairs and the affairs .of tn.
Anti-Saloon league in America" ne
said To n representative Of the Man.
chester Guardian" Il did not have
TO wait untM l returneei ,to> tssses. an
about it. They had news OF 1T ir
..wveden.. an,d- in Finland before l sol
The press cuttings had evidently
amused him very much. hut he sale
they were rather off the track
"A good part Of the discussion" HI
: said. has been over things which
| am alleged to have said, but which
| did not say at all. l would like Il
| make plain two or three things
Neither ] myself nor the Anti -Salooi
league has had the slightest intention
of interfering in any way with British
affairs We will not take any par
! whatever in any British elections.
am under the most positive instruc
tons not to interfere in any way wit,
such things. | have not discussed
British affairs IN Britain. and will no
in the future What have been do