The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1919-06-06
Greatest Dry Gathering Op-
poses War Law Repeal
BRYAN'S ADDRESS
ANSWERS PRESIDENT
Will Not Repeal the Law Speaker
Declares
MANY PLEDGE DRY SUPPORT

What was in many respects the
greatest dry meeting ever held took
place in Chicago on Sunday after
noon, May the 18th. Five thousand
were present in Medinah Temple
when the meeting was called to order
by Frank ]. Loesch. This great crowd
was eager to hear VIM. J. Bryan, the
chief speaker of the day, who was ex-
pected to comment on the President
recommendation for the repeal OF
wartime Prohibition.
Bryan's statements opposing the
Presidents attitude were cheered and
applauded. When Mr. Bryan called
for a vote authorizing message to
Congress protesting against the re-
peal OF wartime Prohibition it was
given the unanimous support OF the
crowd. Later Mr.. Bryan called for a
vote on the question OF supporting
the law enforcement bill before Con-
gress, which was also given unani-
nous support.
Speaking on wartime Prohibition,
Mr.. Bryan said:
81 haven't any idea the war Prohi-
bition measure is going to be re-
pealed. | am sorry the President
recommends the repeal to Congress,
I,,t chic x.rtn ,1t oh tha
A Republican Congress passed the
Webb-kenyon anti-liquor law over
the veto Of a Republican President
INT n b MOT likely ! Republican Con-
gress will repeal an anti-liquor law at
the request of a Democratic Presi-
dent. If Republican Congress would
go forward sc zen years ago in spite
of a Republican Presidents veto, will
Republican Congress go backward
now at the request of Democratic
President"
Referring particularly to exempting
beer and wine from war Prohibition,
Bryan said that none of the 81 states
now having Prohibition have an ex-
ception in the law in favor of beer
and wine, and in none OF the many
dry states in which vote was taken
to permit beer and wine did such a
proposition carry. Congress consid-
cred the question when war Prohibi-
ton was passed and decided against
exempting beer and wine.
Preceding Mr.. Bryan's main ad-
dress answering the claim of the
vets that the soldiers opposed Prohi-
bition, Mr.. Bryan said;
First, The Congress which sub
mitted the Prohibition amendment
was elected five months before this
nation entered the war. The soldiers
were at home and helped elect that
Congress.
Second, % states were dry before
the boys went away.
Third, every soldier took an oath
to support the constitution. The Pro-
hibition amendment is now as much
a part of the constitution as the pro-
vision by which we elected Presi-
dent or Congress. Referring to the
beer strike threats of the vets, Mr..
Bryan spoke of the national colors
being attached to the 'No Beer, No
Work" buttons.
Usually" he said, when a man
starts out to raise a revolutions he
does not use the flag of the country
he is trying to overthrow"
Preceding Mr.. Bryan's address, DR..
H. H. Russell called on the audience
to enroll themselves as supporters of
the anti-alcoho1 movement and thus
help enforce the law in America and
carry the blessings of Prohibition to
all the world.
DIR. c. w. Saleeby of England, one
of the foreign delegates present,
made a short address which is given
in full elsewhere in this Issue.
Ex-Governor Patterson of Tennes-
see in a short address told of his
change from the wet to the dry side.
In a message to the state Legislature
while Governor he wrote, "Prohibi-
ton as governmental policy is pro-
foundly and fundamentally wrong.
Were ! to write such a message
again." he said, Il would say that
Prohibition as a governmental policy
is profoundly and fundamentally
right"
The Olivet Institute Band gave
selections, and special singing led by