The Washington times., 1921-12-17
|-VO[STEAD
ORGANIZATION
CROWS IN west
Son Of Champ Clark Prominent
Member Of Missouri Branch
Protesting Amendment.
BY KENT WATSON.
Intcrnat lonsl News service.

hmteTuhtsouhi NcWs CcfNhsV'
ST. LOUIS. Mo-, Dec. 17.-John
Barleycorn cremated, has active
backers--though belated
In an effort to resuscitate the erst-
while eminent ~. B." from drown
ing while submerged In Volsteadism,
the Missouri branch OF the National
Association Against the Eighteenth
Amendment today has become mill.
tant against 'sumptuary laws that
belong to a period of despotism."
Among the prominent members OF
the organization, which admittedly
does not seek to be an ally OF
hootch and open saloons is Bennett
G. Clark. son Of the late Champ
Clark. former Speaker Of the House
of Representatives. Among promin-
emit members Of the parent body Of
the national association are Irwin 8.
Cobb. Kermit Roosevelt, Harrison
Grey Fiske. Arthur Hammerstein,
Stuyvesant Fish. Mrs. Sidney Fish.
the Rt. Rev. Monsignor Edward j.
McGoldrick and Augustus Thomas.
The national body was organized at
Baltimore by Capt. w. n. Stayton.
THE citizens OF Missouri are asked
to institute an auxiliary organization
to cooperate with the parent and
other like associations declares
Judge Henry s. Priest. president of
the local unit 1.-THE members Of tho
organization primarily believe in tenn.
perance and are opposed to the open
saloon.
We believe, however, that the
eighteenth amendment Is a political
heresy. fraught with infinite mischief
TO the country. We believe the VOL
stead act perversion of the intent of
that amendment and an iniquitons az
sauit upon the liberties of the people
which is immoral in result.
A Political Whip.
The amendment itself is a usurpa.
ton OF political power by the Federal
Government. Under the guise Of the
power to amend the Constitution II
takes from the States the power ex.
'pressly reserved to them severally by
the Constitution. 1t destroys the
and so necessary to a free people, and
concentrates 1t in the Federal Govern.
ment. If this Is to be precedent States
VIII be mere districts to be governed
by Congress, as II now legislates for
the District of Columbia
The little power-the right Of con-
current ACKNOWLEDGEMENT to the
States by the amendments, was de-
stroyed by the Volstead act as in
terpreted by the Supreme Court
Laws Too Expensive.
The amendment and the act are
together immoral in their operative
results. The method Is a mistaken
one. No reform In morals ever has
been or ever will be accomplished
through legislation.
Such sumptuary Jaws belong to
the period Of despottSm. Such iegis-
lation creates a disregard Of law and
a contempt for authority.
These laws are expensively ineffi-
cient. The Government spends mil
lions Of dollars Of our money to main
tain spies upon our homes and bust
ness places. who assist the prosperous
trade, OF Illicit distillipg and bootleg.
ging.
THE members of our organization,
therefore, oppose these so-called laws
because they destroy the right of local
self-government: because they must
be and are Intellectual for good and
are therefore immoral, and because
they add uselessly to the already
heavy burdens of taxation"