The New York herald., 1920-12-29
Anti-SalOon League Officers
Start Outcry Against
Withdrawals of Whiskey.
FEAR A GERRYMANDER
Making Active Efforts to
Keep Vets Out Congress
From New Districts.
Members Of Organization Act
as InfOrmers and Threaten
Tax Officials.

SpecinI Despatch to THE NEW YORK HERALD.
washington, ID. c., Dec. 20.
The professional prohibition agi..
tators In Washington now that the
Eighteenth Amendment Is in force, are
having q serious time keeping their
Business. They have found waning
interest in their activities and in con-
sequence are struggling desperately
to keep their organizations from ulti-
mately going on the rocks. Such a
situation would mean naturally the
loss of influential and well paying jobs.
SO long as the objective was national
and State prohibition. the organiza-
tons such as the Anti-Saloon League
found it comparatively easy sailing
with fevered enthusiasm, and resultant
large contributions. The situation now,
it became known to-day, Is less salts
factory. It is for this reason that the
organizations are striving desperately
to create new issues by which they
hope to revive interest.
w
leaders OF the prohibition forces as
Wayne B. Wheeler ana others, have
been setting UP loud cries against the
violation of the Volstead law, citing
among other things the increased with
drawals of whiskey from bonded ware
houses and the use Of long established
medicines containing alcohol for bever-
age purposes. The movement to shut
down passports granted by the State
Department to those who wish to go
to Tia Juana, Mex. across the border
from San Diego, Cal. Is another ex-
ample.
Similarly the dry followers are being
informed-this is one Of the newer de-
velopments-that unless the prohibition
agencies are maintained in Washington,
their interests cannot be fully safe
guarded when 1t comes to the reappor-
tionment of the House under the new
census matter which will come be-
fore the next Congress. They want to
see to 1t, they say, that the new dis
tricts are so arranged as to prevent
the vets from getting a foothold even
as early as 1922.
Much attention Is being devoted by
the Anti-Saloon League, the Methodist
Board of Temperance and the w. G. II.
u. to the dry law enforcement. AS
much advertisement as possible is be-
ing given to this cooperation and in
instances all over the country the
representatives of prohibition organ
izations are acting Independently as
informers for the prohibition enforce
ment service. Such evidence of viola
tions as is found is turned over either
to the district authorities or to the
Washington officials.
1--WE approach the officers with the
explanation that they certainly intend
to live up to their oath OF office and
enforce the law" Mr.. Wheeler ex-
planned I'VE give them information to
act upon, assuring them the fullest CO.
operation. If they fail to enforce the
law then we go after them"
The plans of the prohibition leaders
have been upset to some extent by the
fact that there Is less and less talk in
Congress of any serious attempt to OBJ
tain a modification of the Volstead act
at the coming session. Prohibition did
not figure in the last election as they
had expected, IL hesS- s--- -<sl generally
among tho S.ad>s~---s snat there should
not at that time be a fight on the Vol
stead law. The situation as 1t stands is.
therefore. that tho law will 60 un-
changed for at least two years.
That the vets will make an effort in
1922 when there will be Congressional
elections. to capture the House. Is COM
mon talk. Where 1t comes from nobody
seems to know; certainly those in Con-
gress who are known to have wet SYM
pathies are saying nothing.