The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-03-24
LEAGUE TO FIGHT
SUIT BY BREWERS
UvUvtU I'LL IvItv vM u Nvav
Wayne b. Wheeler Will Oppose
Claims Put Forward by Lawyers
for Beer interests.
ROOTS RECORD
RECALLED
Opposed Webb Kenyon Law OF
Constitutional Grounds and Ap
proyed United :, Action by Entir'
S'-Shfipni Aka1Rss IAquaosFt Y -

: = !. sNhtfpR Against IAqudAt -
New York. March 23.---william Fl
Anderson. state superintendent o.
the Anti Saloon League of New
York. has issued the following state
ment respecting the brewers litigation
TO contest the emergency prohibition
act OF congress:
The Anti-Saloon league will take
a hand in the effort of the brewers to
test the validity of the emergency wal
and rehabilitation period law passed
by congress. II will be represented ir
the suits now pending in New York BY
its national counsel. Hon. Wayne B
Wheeler. LII D., who has represented
the prohibition forces in practically
every important case involving Tn.
liquor issue before the supreme cour'
OF the United States in recent years
We are not prepared to say at THU
time in Just what manner or at just
what stage Mr.. Wheeler will come into
the case, but have been assured by
William d. Guthrie, counsel for ths
brewing interests contestfng the val
idity OF the federal statute. that the
plaintiffs will not oppose any appli-
ANXIOUS curiae In either of the pend.
ing suits.
The Anti-Saloon league is not al
all over-awed by the fact that Hon
Eiihu Root, leader OF the American
bar. Is counsel for the brewers. Mr.
Root is preeminent as lawyer In
spite of, and not because OF his con.
Anection with the liquor question. He
said. respecting the Webb Kenyon law
nj RI
the record OF the Sixty-second con
gress:
~ cannot vote for Il. however. he
cause havN 81 10 n perfectly clear
and dee conclusion in my OWE
mir' tnat the bill Is not within the
constitutional power of congress,
yet the supreme court of the
United States. In a case in which ~
Wheeler was representing the rtoni-
bition side. by an overwhelming ma
fority decided that tho Na5b-keny or
interstate liquor shipul 1nt law was
constitutional.
Mr.. Root has been consistently or
the side OF the brewers. He not only
voted against the webb-Kenyon act
and against passing II over President
Taft'g veto. but also voted for the per-
sonal use amendment to It. He voted
with the enemies of the District oi
Columbia prohibition bill. and at this
So ne time he opposed tho Webb
Kenyon act he said:
The time may como, and I shall
10 very glad to see 1t. when the people
Of the United States will be ready to
act as whole In the suppression Of
this traffic
This was said in opposition to the
proposal to allow the states to pro-
iect themselves against liquor from
outside, and when national prohibition
was not thought of as an immediate
issue. Now that the people OF the
United states as represented In con-
gress, that being as Mr.. Root knows
the only way in which they can oper
ate on a question OF this kind have
Of this traffic Mr.. Root thinks that
Il L. not proper
I'm the light OF such a record the
Anti-Saloon league declines to be dis
turbed over the fact that the brewers
have succeeded in employing Mr.
Root. However, we consider IL most
unfortunate In the light OF the un-
questioned patriotic services which Mr.
Root has rendered the nation, tina,
the last desperate kick of the Ger
man brewers in their effort to come
hack In America should go down in
history as Root Beer
s"All the brewers are getting out
OF this disturbance Is about six weeks
time, for even II the authority of the
internal revenue commissioner to con-
strue the law should be successfully
questioned. the emergency law itself
in prohibiting the manufacture after
May LIST expressly uses the word beer
and In prohibiting the sale after June
ssAss<, Pssfssss SszG
prohibition forces ara absolutely con-
fident that this and every other at
tempt OF the liquor interests to avert
prohibition will prove futile. for the
liquor traffic has not gained sub
stantiaI legal victory in fifty years. yet
the attempt to nuilify the plainly ex-
pressed will of the people. and the
bad faith OF the brewers claim that
the emergency statute was passed
after the war was over, when they
themselves prevented its passage
shortly after the war began. has had
the effect, whatever the date of de
mobilization Of the American army,
81 convincing the prohibition forces
that they cannot safely demobilize I'M
III not only has the lijuor snakes
head been crushed, but also its tail
has ceased to wiggie.
"Robert G. Davey, counsel and su-
perintendent OF the law enforcement
department of the New York State
league. Is looking after preliminary
matters in the pending litigation in
behalf OF Mr.. Wheeler"
A piece of first-class matter mailed
IN Boston reached providence. forty
Aye miles away. In nfnety-two hours.
Night letters are no longer telegraphed
from Washington to New York but
are sent by mail. Each sender II
charged thirty-five cent, when ne could
transmit his letter for three cent by
nail. Governmental efficiency!