South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-03-07

The German-Americau alliance.
which was the kaiscr's political ma
chine in the United States before
the war, though since nominauy dis
solved. was largely financed by brew
ers and other liquor interests, and
much the same gentlemen as are
providing the millions OF dollars
that are financing the anti-prOhibl-
ton propaganda of today; hiring
lawyers to create news through the
courts. legislators to create news ia
the legislatures, encouraging govern
ors TO declare for their cause, and
newspaper men and correspondents
70 prostitute their professions by get
ting this propaganda out. where
consciously or unconsciOusly, II may
pass 10 the printed page.
During the past week, two OF the
leased wire press associations carried
extensive stories out of Washington.
making presidential and congress
sional issues out of prohibition, even
asserting that it might outshadow
the league Of nations should the lat
ter be permitted TO enter the cam
paign. the claim being that it was the
plan Of enemies Of the league-but
not explaining that those enemies
consisted mainly CT hyphenated New
Englanders whose enmity OF the
league and friendship for booze, APP
peared 10 have married.
For Psychological Eject.
Then every day or two. Gov Ed
wards OF New Jersey enters the
preferential primary race in another
state. as if seeking the democratic
nomination for the presidency and
between those days some wet" legis-
latOr in some state. introduces a
new bill to hoist the percentage OF
alcohol in sundry drinks above the
allowances in the VOlstead act. Such
stories all newspapers are expected
to carry. and keep il before the coun-
try. at least in appearance, and in
proportion TO the big noise, that
prohibition is losing caste. These
are only samples.
Confirmed vets" editors OF funny
columns in the newspapers and the
burning thirsts of the curb stone,
/ agitators and flies that flock 10
the soft drink" bars. are expected,
quite like the pro- Germans of ante
bellum days, 70 take on new en-
thusiasm. and spread the gospel
heH-bent. Meanwhile the "drys," IL
| is hoped Will be hypnotized by the
music. and like the rats that fol-
lowed the Pied Piper Of Hamelin, "
| fall into line for the return 10 the
old regime. Even the sOcalled
whisky rebellion" in northern Mich
| iCan appears now TO have been in
augurated for propaganda purposes
intent upon inspiring resistance else
where. and wherever possible, rather
than because anything had really
| gone wrong in Iron River city. The
| proposed investigation of the Anti
| saloon league by the New York as
| sembly at Albany IS another
! specimen OF anti-prohibition propa-
ganda. undertaken for psychological
| effect depending upon the press OF
| the country 20 give it currency.
Liquor sure TO be Issue
After which manner too. enough
enthusiasm appears 20 have been
| engeudered among the vets 70
make the prohibition issue possible
Indeed. the issue has now passed
from the mere verbal exchange Of
achronatc epithets between Mr.
Bryan on the one hand and Gov
! Edwards on the other hand. through
| the medium Of long distance inter
/ views II has reached the point
/ where i is sure 90 thrust itself into
the democratic national COM enton
/ OF all the issues now iu sight b
] is likely 20 be. the most cxeitIu2
/ among the domestic ones. and IL may
set the stage fore as dramatic "a scene
as the democratic national CCnFcu-
ton Of 1912. when SIR. Bryan arose
in the convention. denounced cer-
tain delegates 6y name. and en-
/ throued himself as the controliua
figure OF the convention
The issue in IFS prese1- to-w s
! extremely complies and rs local out
| groupings as they manifest them
selves in newspaper d-spatche.
throughout the country arc confIs-
/ Ing. Reduced 90 the simplest terms
there is OH one side the Ant-Saloor
league. Tnis party is the mos
De"eICl, political organization 10