New-York tribune., 1920-04-12
Liquor in Fight
To Annul Dry
Act, Says Wise
Interests Seek the Election
of a Congress That Will
Undermine Consequences
of Law, Rabbi Asserts
Repeal Is ssUnthinkable''
He Declares Enemies of
Amendment Are Using
Only Weapon, Politics

The liquor interests are seeking to
bring about the election in November
Of Congress that will undertake to
annul the consequences Of the prohibit
tion amendment, according to Rabbi
Stephen s. Wise, of the Free Syna-
gogue. The subject of his address yes
terday was: "Shall we permit re-
newal of the criminal alliance of liquor
and politics ?"
DR.. Wise said the lawful repeal of
prohibition can be brought about
through the processes of amendment
or repeal. He added that it was un
thinkable that such repeal should be
attempted or effected He added:
"There is third way of repeating
prohibition, way lawful in form but
lawless in essence. The method of re-
peal, which is neither wholly lawful
nor wholly lawless. is to bring about
the election in November of a Con-
gress which, while it cannot repeal,
will undertake practically to annul the
consequences Of the Eighteen Amend
ment.
Against the Repeal
"This indirect method of attack upon
the Eighteenth Amendment is being
planned and may be achieved unless
the American citizenship understands
that the very structure of American
law and order is involved in this
of certain interests and groups in
America to evade the consequences of
the law as embodied in an amendment
to the Constitution.
"1f the American people desire that
prohibition shall be repealed, let them
so express themselves. But if the
American people continue to believe
in the enforcement of law, let them be
warned Of the little less than criminal
plan to keep the promise of prohibi
tion to the ear of the lawful and break
it to the hope of the lawless.
~ am against the repeal of the
Eighteenth Amendment, because it has
not been tried out Six months or a
year do not constitute q period of trial.
If the amendment had stood for ten
or twenty or thirty years, and the
American people then resolve to re-
verse it's earlier decision, it may be-
lieve itself justified in so doing. To-
day the experiment has not been ade-
quately tried, and the opposition comes
from those who are rightly fearful of
effect Of prohibition throughout the
land once it has been really and widely
tried.
II am against the attempted repeal
of prohibition because the matter has
been settled. The law has been written
into the Constitution, and the discus
sion and the augmentation concerning
prohibition make it impossible for the
American people seriously to deal with
the momentous problems that lie be-
fore it. That the next Presidential
campaign should revolve around the
issue of liquor is a disgrace to Amer
lea and q calamity to its citizenship.
81 am against the repeal of prohlpl-
tion because the testimony of all i'm
partial and worth while witnesses
throughout the land is to the effect
that the nation has already been
greatly benefited thereby. I have not
heard word in challenge of the wis
dom and benefcence of the prohibition
law save from the lips of few men
whose personal tastes end convivial
habits are more important in their
own sight than the wellbeing of
whole nation.
"Dry" Arguments Valid
II am against the repeal of the
Eighteenth Amendment because every
argument that was valid on behalf of
prohibition continues to be valid. Alco-
three race poisons.
III am against the repeal because of
the character of the groups which
favor repeal or annulment and the
methods they are ready to employ. The
criminal alliance of liquor interests
and politics too long postponed the
enactment Of prohibition.
"On behalf of repeal it is urged that
there is much dissatisfaction felt with
prohibition and its enforcement. Shall
every law be repealed the enforcement
of which for time excites opposition?
"The claim is urged that the
Eighteenth Amendment is virtually
class legislation, inasmuch as MANY
well-todo folk have stored away con-
siderable quantities of liquor and that
the poor find it difficult and expensive
to secure. Have the gentlemen who
are SO tenderly concerned about the
injustice of class legislation ever
paused to remedy or reven consider any
injustice suffered by people of small
or no possessions other than their in
| ability to secure copious quantities If
alcohol?
at is urged on behalf of repeal that
immigrants are leaving or threatening
to leave a drinkless America. Will any
American arise and seriously maintain
that We shall change American law in
order to suit the personal habits and
customs of certain groups of immi-
grants?"
William H. Anderson, state superin-
tendent of the Anti-Saloon League, in
an address before the West Side Y. M.
c. A., dared the New York Assembly to
put him in Jail for the things he has
said about it. He renewed his attack
on Assemblyman Cuvillier for his es-
pousal Of beer and light wine bills.