Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-11-04
An Incorporate Temperance Board.


its attack on former Attorney General
Palmer, Secretary OF the Treasury Mel
Ion, and those United States Senators who
mad the audacity 10 run counter 10 it's wishes
and those OF Wayne b. Wheeler. the boa I'd
OF temperance, prohibition, and public
morals OF the Methodist Episcopal Church
is neither temperate. nor helpful to prohibi-
ton in its Indictment TO the murder of boot
leggers, nor promotive of public morals in
us encouragement TO further disrespect
Tor all laws. Actual authorship OF MIR.
Wheeler may not be read into the report,
put It's contents are strongly indicative of
his influence and that OF the league of which
he is the guiding genius
MT. Wheeler is outraged by the action
or Mr.. Mellon in promulgating tho orders
for medicinal beer prepared by the former
Auorney-General, and he issues his edict
mat law enforcement must be made a ma
tional issue" He is right there, or. rather,
law enforcement is becoming a national
issue, whether we wish it or not. by virtue
OF that d.srespect for the law which an in
ordinately stringent statute has generated
ana now is being inculcatdd by the intern
peraie utterances OF Mr. Wheeler and his
fellow-workers in the dry vineyard
what else can il be but an encourage
ment 10 dangerous disrespect for all law
when body OF churchmen, in whom re-
spect for the law, both civil and divine. is
supposed TO reside, delibera ely and SOL
emmy declares that no one had any re-
Srect lot MT. Pa!mers decision when he
gave IL, and no one has any respect for il
now? Which is tantamount TO an ayowal
that law commands respect and obed ence
Only when ii has the approval of the board
OF temperance, but may properly be .ou,ed
ana Nio!dted when ii does not coincide with
the views OF this particular church beard.
FOR the Palmer decision right or wrong.
and however distasteful it may be to the
apostles OF prohibition, as ii was promul-
gated by Mr.. Mellon, is the law of the ma
ton and Will remain the law until il has
been reversed or repealed
And what else is 1t hut an Indictment to
murder, the last word in d.srcspect for the
law OF man and God, when these churchmen.
sun calmly and deliberately, as voiced BY
heir official organ. advocate a policy OF
shooting boo,leggers on sight? "A boot
logger is worth lot more to the country
oead than alive, is the verdict OF the
cnuFchmen, who presumably are willing 10
!htfust the execution OF that decree 10 their
paF.sh.ohers. Virginia has had ats ghas.ly
experience with that form OF intcmpcrance
and ii wants no more OF it,
This Is no, the helpful prayerful con
s!dera'!on OF great national problem, that
INC country mad F!ght 10 expect from the
Iead!ng men OF one OF its great churches.
hatheF' II IS the voice OF that Incorporate
into!eTaAt section which can brook no re-
s!stanee TO It's mperious will, whose i'm
patience cannot await the orderly working
out OF nation 5 most pcrplexing moral,
psychological and spiritual problem. but
must declare war at the first sign OF what
IL sMug!y interprcts as public insubordina-
ton 10. its own self-appontcd authority.
Fortunately for America this Incorporate
temperance board does not represent fully
the great church for which II Processes to
speak. II represents rather that little coterie
OF fanatics who iDisted absolute prohibition
upon country that was not yet prepared
TO receive II, and its rabid utterances. now
mat ii sees some OF the fruits OF its pre-
mature coup, will hardly receive the sane
ton Of mat great body of sclf-respecting
l@w-ab.d.ng citizens who patiently are striy-
ing bring the public standards UP TO a
higher plane