The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-07-29
England To Be Dry.


with a comment like this.
I've got one, eye, they have none,
LEI them have the money"
England To Be Dry.
The great dry champion prophcsics.
however that England viii be dry by
1880 and suhstantiatcs his claim 10
that exceptional possibility by quoting
Premier lloyd George In Corrohora-
tion Of his own belief His character
istic optimism carries him step
further too, to the extent that he
believes world prohibition is not only
IN sight, but coming this way. lie
aVuWs that onC-thrd of tho nations of
Europe are nearer prohibition today
than was the United States ten years
ago.
IN addition to the personality which
PuSsyfoot has injected into the ma
tionai and international aspect OF his
work against the demon rum and its
dicohonu associates, reports of Mr..
johnson indicate that his individuality
ls OF q surprising and delightful nature.
Ihe little Incidents related about his
private life aud conversion are fully
as interesting aud attractive to the
human In men as are the exploits
which have endowed him with more or
less cosmopolitan ego
For instance, there is nothing calum-
nous or even iocular In the appellation
by which he Is known---which has be-
como hy-word among the drys and a
euss-word among the vets Tho name
move up TO MIR, johnson and stayed
put years ago when he was In the fed
eral service. The monicker, 80 indi-
cative Of smoothness, WAS appended to
ms personality on account OF his I'M
canny ability to pursue his task OF
suppressing the liquor traffic among the
Indians without his presence being al
together noticeable until II was too late,
and consignment Of red~e had lost
its hilarious utility.
Let Mr.. johnson tell the story In
his own words. His style will give
YOU an insight into his dynamic person
ality, as wen as present an angle on
his doings out West IN the days before
YOU heard much Of him.
How He Won Nickname.
'one day a man walked into my Of
flee In MuEkogeo." he says. with
message from a Haskell saloon keeper
tntimating in a friendly way that "
dared TO show my face in Haskell he
would shoot me. OF course, l could
not refuse such an invitation.
sent a scout into Haskell and
found that the saloon keeper had never
seen me, but had IA good description of
me, So one night ] disguised myself
and rode into Haskell. | tothered my
horse 70 his vefanda, and walking into
the bar called for drink
My fierce FRIEND was a big man, hut
the thing that interested me most was
40 ut his hip.
"Ha offered me n bottle, which | at
once said was too weak and smashed
on the bar, Give me hell-fire,' l cried
Tie opened a secret trap in the floor and
handed me bottle of whisky.
My one object was TO get him to
show me his back, and ! maneuvered
him until ] was able to whip out his
revolver, hold IL to his ear and intro
duce myself. The next day the local
paper told the story and called me 'Pus-
syfoot.' That was how / earned my
name"
Not because II is the only thing he
ever did, but because II has been the
most widely recognized, the eojourn Of
Mr.. Johnson IN British territory, so
close TO the hangover Of Scotch and the
kick OF Irish, is splendidly typical OF
the man himself a good idea of tho
effect his unafraid presence had on the
london publicNnay he cleaned from the
following dispatch 70 the New York
Globe from Wesley w. Stout, their cor
respondent in the English capital;
"Pussyfoot Is a sure fire jest in the
music halls; he Is mentioned In the
minutes of corporation meetings. dock
ers curse him over their noon beer; So
ciety more politely dRmns him over its
wines eluhmen grow. apoplectlo over
their whisky and soda: clerics preach
about him and at him. England has
lost interest in the kaiser and IL is
only half Jest 10 say that 'Pussyfoot'
Newspapers and publicity have long
been intimate connections with his
life For years he was editor OF the
New York Voice. a prohibition organ,
and he went abroad for several years
as representative OF the Funk ~ Wag-
nails company, in quest of data and ar
tCles. His travels have carried him
into practically every civilized country
on the top side o earth, which probably
accounts for some Of his expressed in
tentions.
He says he win invade India, and
there will endeayor to eVaporatc what
ever staggering beverages may be found
flowing about kipling's favortte ballad
setting, Cuba, too. comes within hts
prospective area Of immediate aridity,
which brings regret 10 the souls Of tour
list agencies and airplane manufacturers.
II seems about the most appropriate
thing in the world that one Of Pussy.
foots little trots about the globe took
him to the Sahara desert And II is not
Intended as slam against his tota
abstinence 10 chronicle that he made
the trip on Doctors orders. II was
there that Johnson annexed quite a
hit Of Inspiration on this dry business.
He liked Ii immensely, as IL was posi-
lively the driest place he had ever seen
and his activities since have Indicated
that he thought II was practically a
model piece OF Terrain. lie put In some
prohibition work. even, in that super
dried-out land, and returned with tho
news that q Muslcm who becomes IN
toxicated is socially ostraclZed-and
nielsnamed Christian,
Although Atlanta's present liquid con-
dition won't give Pussyfoot much op-
partunity for exhibiting his Carrie Ma
ton proeHNtlos-he used to smash the
harrooms and liquor joints with sledEc
hammer-thc city viii be Interested IN
him. He has iaunted all over the North
American continent since his return
from abroad. and everywhere hos been
they have met him with headlines and
big audiences. The city or Twin falls
Idaho, was SO anxious 20 hear him re-
late the perspective he was getting on
a dry America through his glass optic
that IL prevailed on him TO swerve from
his set itinerary and visit them. IN
order to do 1t It was necessary 70 dis
match an airpiane to Granger, Wyo.. and
from there keep Pussyfoot In the air
until his Idaho destination was reached
The people of the Idaho city were SO
eager for the recital that they raised
$500 in a few minutes, and paid MS
alrplane fare.
Whatever coudemuatory effect this
effort may accrue IN n half-interlncar
way. Ii means and signifies recognition
Such evidence Of universal notice;
coupled with the fact that Mrs. paw"
LLOYD George. wife Of the British pre-
rnier aided johnson in promotion OF the
drive for dryness in drenChed scotland
seals the surety Of his repute.
Though he has punched all his en'I-
ries in an effort 10 make the world
safe from intoxicants. and has natied
the bourbon phalanN consistently TOT
years Pussyfoot doesn pose q TN goo
or being endowed with sll1LZ LM L.---.--
AUwRBHG RFU aes-sS