The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-05-03

Montreal either purposcly ignores or Is
ignorant of the fact. that in every
state of the Union, where IL has been
possible TO do SO. the Anti Saloon
league has la hored to secure popu-
lar vote on proh hition. so that today
by the efforts OF the prohibitionists
against strenuous opposition from the
liquor traffic, state after state has
voted dry" by popular vote, and today
there are thirty-four states out of for
tyeight dry" by state laws altogeth-
or apart from the federal laws surely
the gentleman" from Montreal is ig-
norant OF all the facts, or he would not
asSail in such violent language the
constitution, the laws. and the law
makers Of the United States.
But the fundamental mistake of the
gentleman" from Montreal is his utter
failure TO understand or to apprecia e
the main inspiration of the prohib.-
ton crusade" He says tthe prohibi-
uonisD gov enters into the kingdom
Of his enjoyment. the JOY of persecu.-
ing his fellow men" The writer has
been connected with the crusade for
thirty years. and has been intimately
associated with most Of the leaders for
the past twenty years 1t cannot he
too strongly emphasized that the pro-
h. bition movement in the United states
has been Christian in it's inspration
and dependent for it's persistent vital
ity upon the active support Of the
Protestant churches. The main IN
SEPARATION of the movement" has not
been the JOY Of prosecuting ones fell
bowman as he declares, but 1t has
been the gospel of love as proclaimed
by that cultivated, conseCrated. SELF
sacrificing, Christian gentleman" -.
Paul. who said. ut is good neither to
eat flesh not to drink wine, nor anv-
L. ir.r T,s,,
or is caused 70 offend or is made
weak And he summed up the whole
matter in his saying, we then that
are strong ought to bear the inhrmi-
ties Of the weak and not TO please our
selves"
The inspiration Of the prohibition
movement has not been the desire to
''persecute our fellowmen" but to help
our fellowmen, by prohibiting the trlt-
hc which the United States supreme
court has characterized as tho most
prolific source of insanity. pauperism,
vice and crime" by removing the traps
which have swallowed up the earnings
and vitality Of the fathers. and caught
and manned and ruined the children
The appeal has been sounded out FOR
years from Christian pulpits that
Christian men and women arc respou-
sible for the social and moral condi-
tions of their communities, and that
they should be willing to sacrifice
some OF their pleasures for the sake OF
better conditions, indeed. Of a better
world
The great war gave great example
Of self sacrifice for an ideal result
Men surrendered home associations.
comforts and the possibility OF he
itself, to help make a better world
And Just so in the United States n
great majority OF the people believe
that the liquor traffic has been proven
to be the enemy Of the economic, 500
eiaI and moral Fife Of the nation; that
it ministers fundamentally TO appetite
and to coyetousneSs: and for the sake
of making n better United states. the
great majority are willing to give mp
the use of Intoxicating liquor for
beverage purposes" And it should he
noted here that the prohibition amend
ment uses those words Intoxicating
liquors"-not beer, Wine brandy. whis-