New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-03-22
'Cillett Urges
Open Defiance
OF Dry Leader
Assails Anderson as ssCootie
on Body Politic," Who
Will Take TO His Heels
if Assembly Shows Fight
Pleads for His Beer Bill
Cuvillier Threatens to Go
Over Sweets Head in
Demanding an Inquiry
From a Staff Correspondent

ALBANY, March 21.-A "cootie" on
the body polite is one of the milder
characterizations applied to William H
Anderson, superintendent of the Anti
Saloon League, by Colonel Ransom H.
Gillett, Republican Assemblyman from
Columbia County, in mis- third letter to
his associates in the Assembly.
The letter, as the two previous ones.
was patterned - and Colonel Gillett
acknowledges the ndebtedness-after
the letter of the Anti-Saloon League
head. 1t asks the members of the As
semoiy to support his light wine and
beer bill.
And it has the same purpose as the
Anderson letters-to stir up the Lepisla-
tors. They already are stirred up and
are for going ahead with the investiga-
ton of Mr.. Anderson and other officers
,. OF the league, and incidentally for pass
ing $50 per cent beer bill
Sweet for "Soft Pedal"
But Speaker Sweet does not want n
give further affront to the league and
to Mr.. Anderson. He is for putting the
soft pedal on the Investigation. His
latest position on the wet" and "drv"
hight is opposed to the passage of any
noeraI. Interpretation of the Eighteenth
Amendment, as provided in either Colo
mel Gillett's light wine and beer bill or
IN the Walker-Gillett $50 beer bill
There is likelihood, however, of the
situation being taken from the control
OF the Speaker. Assemblyman Louis A.
Cuvilier,. of New York, a Democrat,
author OF the resolution calling for an
investigation of the activities of Mr.
Anderson and other officers of the
league, with "a view to determining if
they violated the corrupt practices act
announced last week that he would in.
troduce another resolution hailing the
superintendent of the Anti Saloon
League before the Bar of the House in
an effort to have him punished for con-
tempt.
Assemblyman Cuvillier, who. like
Coloneh Gillett, served in France,
is indignant over letter written bv
Mr. Anderson attacking Colonel Gillett.
Other Assemblymen, especially the ex-
service men, also have taken up the
cudgels for Colonel Gillett, whose right
arm hangs limp because of wounds in
inflicted by the Germans
Wants Anderson Jailed
Cuvillier declares that Anderson
should be punished for contempt. and
is looking up precedents to include in
his resolution. which probably will be
offered in the Assembly tomorrow
night. If it passes, and Cuvillier has
his way, Mr. Anderson will be lodged
in the Albany County Jail as a legis-
lative prisoner unless he purges him
self
Colonel Gillett's letter, which is in
the nature of reply to Mr.. Anderson's
onslaught on him, in part, follows:
"William H. Anderson, of the Anti
Saloon 1aap1a has ;Sc11od an opan 1o+
ter addressed to me that is evidently
intended as a rebuke to me for appear
ing at the hearing before the Excise
Committee in opposition to the Thomp-
son-Slacer bill
"That bill is unconstitutional, like all
of the Anti-Saloon Leagues efforts at
constructive legislation.
"Anderson's letter evidently has
double purpose-one to criticize, the
other to intimidate.
81 told him where he got off with
me last fall and when he realized he
couldn't scare me he didn't annoy me
again.
"He is pest and nuisance-a
cootie on the body politic-and doesn't
carry any more weight or influence
with the decent. moral people of this
state than a bowling tomcat in a cage
of lions
II Won pc long now DeIOfe LnlS
blatant, vituperative and arrogant
busy~body will talk himself out of fat
job in New York State just as he did in
Maryland
"Now, in conclusion, let me urge you
to defy this man Anderson and all his
works by lining up behind my light
wine and beer bill and vindicating the
hope of Lincoln that government of the
people, by the people and for the
people shall not perish from the face
of the earth''
Mr. Anderson has issued fresh at
tack on Colonel Gillett, suggesting that
the investigation into the Anti-Saloon
League also be directed toward Colonel
Gillett He insinuates that the colonel
is lobbyist for the brewers and is re-
ceiving money from them for the pay
ment of an advertisement indorsing
Colonel Gillett's light wine and beer
bill and for services rendered as
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