New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-09-06
N Nationwide
Wet Crusade
Is Launched
Plan Devised i'm Maryland
Already Is Extended to
New York, New Jersey
and Five Other States
Issue Up To Congress
Dry Candidates Are To Be
Eliminated Until Vol.
stead Repeal Is Possible
SPECIAL Dispatch to Tho TrJoune

SPECIAL Dispatch to Tho Tribune
BALTIMORE, Sept. 5.-Maryfand
vets have begun drive against the
Volstead law and the prohibition
amendment. In addition, prominent
anti-prohibitionists will seek to bring
the question up before the extra ses-
sion of the Maryland Legislature
called for September 20 to provide IA
cilities for registration of women.
Among leading citizens Of Balti-
more interested in the newly organized
association against the prohibition
amendment are Waldo Newcomer. Gem
eral Felix Agnus, DR.. Julius Frieden-
valid, DR.. H. Warren Buckler and Gen.
eral George F. Randolph.
Captain W. H. Stayton, a native of
the Eastern Shore of Maryland and at
present president of the Baltimore
Steamship Company, took the initia-
tive in suggesting the wet plan. And
it is due chiefly to his efforts that the
association has organized branches in
New York, Connecticut, Delaware, New
Jersey Pennsylvania, Virginia and
West Virginia, in addition to Mary
land.
Coast-to- Coast Idea Adopted
When prohibition was enacted Cap
tain Stayton believed that the local
organizations that sprang up from time
to time in different communities to
combat the Volstead act would prove
Of little avail. So the idea of a ma
tional organization-one that would ex-
tend from coast to coast and from Cam
ada to Mexico-was decided upon.
At first the association against the
prohibition amendment had but a
handful Of members. While not in any
sense secret organization, those be-
hand it felt that until it had got under
way to a point that plainly showed it
would be q permanent organization, it's
plans should be kept in the clark"
But with members joining it at the rate
of 10000 month it is felt by the
projectors that the time is ripe for a
big drive throughout the United States.
The first act of the association,
which established headquarters in the
Munsey Building, Washington, was to
place boxes in many cities in. the East
which contained cards, on one side OF
which was the information that the
"Volstead law can be repealed; the
Supreme Court says we may keep it or
@SpSoA ASp JoSt DIS tIle FOLcrS prefer.
Appeals for Solid Line-Up
"The Volstead law can be repealed, !"
1T goes on, "if those opposed to it will
join one association and merely let
themselves be counted, so that Con-
gressmen may know how many of US
there are"
To facilitate this counting the asso-
citation also took up the Chain" system
to increase its membership
With thousands of voters in each
state enrolled, the association intends
to freeze out" the dry candidates and
prevent them from getting nominations
fl om any political party In the course
of few years, if the plan works out,
there will be in Congress only those
lawmakers who will be in sympathy
with the aims for which the associa-
ton is working, as follows:
To repeal the Volstead act
10 permit every state (under the
concurrent clause to pass its own en-
forcement act.
To remove the prohibition amend
To offset the charge that the associa-
tion is backed by whisky or brewery
| interests, no brewers, distillers or
| those who made living from the
liquor trade can have a voting in
terest. There are to be no paid off,
GERS, no expenditure of funds for lob
bying, and the only money spent will
be for keeping records and enrolling
new members and other necessary
Office expenses.