New-York tribune., 1920-02-04
Aldermen Ask
Repeal of Dry
Ratification
Board Calls OH Legislature
to Rescind Its Action;
Would Put wet and Dry
Issue to Vote of People
Only One Negative Vote
Pleas to Modify Tone of
Resolution Fail; Whisky
Urged as Influenza Cure

ly discussion of prohibition, at its
meeting yesterday adopted resolu
tioh, reported from the Committee OF
Legislation, calling upon the Legis
lature to act in support of Governor
Smiths recommendation and rescint
the ratification of the Eighteenth
Amendment in order that the "wct'
or dry question may be put to ref
erendum. A substitute resolution Of
fered by Alderman r. s. Allyn, O.
| Brooklyn, which sought to modify tn,
terse language Of the original resolu
ton was lost.
Alderman Allyn wanted to tone dowr
the words of the original resolution Sc
as to call upon the people to observe
the law until the constitutonality OF
the amendment was passed upon by the
United States Supreme Court. and tt
have the proposed referendum apply
/ only to the question of light wines ant
beer. His suggestions met with VIC.
lent opposition from members Of the
committee which formulated the res
! olution.
Wanted Tone Modified
Major f. H. La Guardia, President OF
the board. left the chair ttemporarily
in order to ask Alderman WilliKn T
Collins, leader Of the majority, II he
would not change the wording or the
resolutlO in respect to the declaration
that the people had not had a fair op.
portunity to pass upon the prohibition
question. The resolution stated thai
nj n
tected by taking advantage of the
peoples forbearance and tolerance at =
time when their patriotic fever lullec
them into Indifference to personal sac
rIfice or cncroachment"
1T seems to me- said the alder
manic president, chat there is some
understanding as to what can be
F., accomplished by this resolution. YOU
must bear in mind that we have PRO.
hlbltion because Of the passing of the
Eighteenth Amendment to the Consti.
tuition Of the United States The State
or New York had its chance and the
legislature ratified it, as did forty.
nVe other states. and enforcement laws
were passed by the Congress. To those
laws most of the people Of the country
objected. The Volstead law is unfair:
it is vicious
Many communities passed rescind-
ing laws, Ohio, for instance. but il
didn't change the law, and a referen-
dunn in New York won't change the
| law one bit. and any one who went
INTO office on wet Platform is politi-
cally dishonest. because he cannot
carry out his platform. The Governo,
or another state who ran for office
on platform declaring that he would
make New Jersey as wet as the At
l:.nt!c Ocean can't do it. When the
Governor OF New Jersey raised his
hand and took oath Of office he be-
came the DR.. Cook of politics."
Alderman Charles II. Haubert. o,
Brooklyn, asked Major La Guardia il
he thought Judge Reuben X. Haskell
was alected on false platform. The
Aldermanic President replied that he
did, absolutely.
Only One Negative Vote
Alderman Collins. replying to Presi-
oent La Guardia, declared that, while
the language of the resolution might
bo strong, it was Just what the major
i!y OF the committee meant. He de-
clincd to change it. Alderman Bruce
NJ. Falconer, Republican, was the onl,
MEMBER OF the board who voted against
the resolution.
about the Socialist Assembymen at
Albany" said Alderman Falconer, a
am tired Of hearing resolutions about
ireland, and about prohibition. and
about everything except those matters
which relate to the affairs of New
York City. | think it is time we at.
ended to our own affairs and let others
attend TO theirs. I vote 'no'".
Major La Guardia had difficulty in
maintaining order during the heated
prohibition discussion. The sound of
his gavel was loud and frequent He
called the Socialist Assemblymen
sharply to order when they ATTEMPTED
TO inject the issue of the war into the
prohibition discussion. Alderman Via
deck, Socialist. OF Brooklyn, created q
laugh when he said there had never
been more than five saloons in his dis
trict and he was the most salonless
Alderman" His constituents we're not
interested in prohibition one wav or
the other, he said. All the Socialists
however, voted for the resolution.
Liquor for Influenza
The board adopted the resolution of
Alderman Louis Zeltner. calling upon
congress to so amend the prohibition
law that the sale Of liquor might he
continued during the influenza epi-
aemic; a, Alderman zeltner declared
that good whisky" was not onlv =
necessary remedy for influenza and
pneumonia, but was also a sure pre-
ventatlve if taken in moderate doses
before person fell i'll.
He had the clerk Of the board rcad
a letter from DR.. Beverly Robinson.
winch was printed in The Tribune on
January 81, in which DR.. Robinson tes-
titled that the life of a patient suffer
ing from a serious bronchial affection
had been saved "by frequently re-
peated doses of good whisky" which
had been obtainable only from the nr;-
vate stock of the physician through
the iatter's generosity. Mr. La Guardia
pointed out that the Board of Health
had the legal power to obtain ali the
whisky necessary for use during an
\ epidemic. The board concurred in the
appropriation of $4,000 in revenue
bonds for the Board of Health and
granted the Bellevue and Allied Hos
p1tals $4,000 in special revenue bonds
70 G<,H