Evening star., 1920-01-14
OVERRIDING Of DRY
EFFORT OPPOSED
DR.. Johnston, at Victory Con-
vention, Urges Caution
Upon Leaders.

Prohibition leaders were advised
not to overdo their efforts toward
seeking an international ban on spir-
ituous liquors by Rev. Wilmer T.
Johnston, assistant pastor of the
First Congregational Church, in an
address at the victory" convention
of the Women's Christian Temperance
Union of the District at the First
Congregational Church today. Nine
teen unions of the central body of the
District were represented at the con-
vention. the entire membership of
the union in Washington.
DR.. Johnston likened efforts of the
national prohibition leaders to a pair
of colored boys which he observed
beating a snake after the snake was
dead. He asked them why they con-
tinued to beat the snake and they
answe cred that they knew it was dead.
but that it had wiggled its tail Il
short time back, and that they were
going to pound it until the wiggling
stopped.
"The best thing in life and the big
gest thing a man or woman can do
is to espouse an unpopular cause"
DIR. Johnston said. by the efforts of
the women of the Woman's Christian
Temperance Union and other pro-
hibition officials, you have made the
prohibition cause popular one. You
have stood behind the prohibition
movement when not a statesman nor
a politician would hear you and have
accomplished your end. The noblest
of all organizations are those which
make private homes pure, and that is
what your organization has helped
to do.
Danger in Weak Sentfmentaiity.
But the greatest danger to the
tndo c
weak, shallow sentimentality in over
doing the thing. Whisky is dead and
cannot be resuscitated, but 1t can be
overdone. Don't go beyond your
selves
Replying to DR.. Johnston. Mrs. How
ard L. Hodgkins, president of the Fed
Grafton of Women's Clubs, said it was
particularly fitting that victory meet
ing of the Women's Christian Tenn
perance Union should pe held in the
First Congregational Church. the men,
bers of which, she said. have done so
| much toward making prohibition sue
cess. Mrs Theresa A Williams re-
ported that s3,40O has been raised by
the local organization toward the ma
tional jubilee fund. 500 above the quota.
At the beginning of The exercises this
afternoon, Miss Anna A. Gordon, presi-
dent of the National Women's Chris
| tian Temperance Union, was presented
| ton. Miss Gordon addressed the meet
, ing.
Addresses were also given by Mrs.
Ella A Boole of New York. vice
president Of the national body; Mrs.
Frances p. Parks. of Illinois: Mrs.
Sara Hoge of Virginia: Mrs. Marga-
ret C. Munns, Illinois; Mrs. Fran
| ces r. Beauchamp. Kentucky; Mrs
Florence Richard. Ohio: Mrs. Ella
Gleason. Massachusetts,: Mrs. F. H.
! Moller, West Virginia: Mrs. Deborah
Knox Livingston, Rhode Island: Mrs.
Mary Clark Barnes. New York; Mrs.
Eva Foster, Massachusetts: Miss
Lalla Sewell, Massachusetts,; Mrs.
Lenna Lowe Yost.
Bryan Will Speak Friday.
Reports from committees occupied
| the morning session. Mrs. Emma
Sanford Shelton, president of the
District of Columbia w. c. T. T.,
| presided at the sessions of the con-
vention. Announcement was made
! that William Jennings Bryan will
speak at public mass meeting next
Friday night at the First Congrega-
tional Church