The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-05

HiiA sbAAbAu pIOltGNlOH dBdiHSl dGSt~ cration of Sunday, with few ex- captions, but there are some injus- tices and unfair discriminations in the laws which should be corrected. For example, it Is manifestly dis criminative and unjust to allow a druggist to dispense the wares of a soda fountain or a cigar stand and deny a like privilege ito the keeper of soft drink or cigar stand who pays exactly the same privilege It. cense as the druggist pays. If the law prohibits Sunday baseball or Sunday moving pictures in one city it should prohibit them in all cities. Sunday baseball is demoralizing and often d public nuisance and such q large percentage of moving pictures are immoral and degrading and un- fit for showing even on week days that it would certainly be in the in- terest of good morals to prohibit them on the Sabbath day. My opin- ion Is that all stores and shops should be closed on Sunday, except for the sale of necessities such as ice. milk. drugs and medicines, and that bona fide restaurants and cafes should be permitted to serve only meals. | believe further that motion
  games should be forbidden on Sunday where admission fees are charged. and that the governing bodies of all incorporated cities and towns in the state should be required to provide means for inspection and approval or rejection of sll motion pictures before they are permitted to be shown publicly, with suitable penal ties for failure to make such pro- visions and for their violation.
 While giving expression to my per sonal views, l realize that these moral and semi-religiou questions are matters which Gan perhaps best be settled by the exercise ol the in- dlvidual leg IslatIve conscience, and hence l do not urge my personal vIews, but rely upon the sound dis- cretion and wlsdom of your honor aole body
 FIETB-CEREAL BIiV BRACES
 Alabama Is the only state In the union where nonalconollc cereal bev- erages are not legally sold. These cereal beverages are the only class or soft drinks prohibited py our law All de-alcoholized wmes and grape juices, containing q higher trace of alcohol than this class Of prohibited 
 so why should not this class of drinks-nonalcohon nonintoxlcat ing, harmless as goats mllk-be sold under the sanction of law?
 For the purpose of securing an an- swer to that question and in order to secure arguments pro and con, l re- quested Dr. w. B. Crumpton, presi- dent of the Anti-Saloon League of Alabama, and Mir. Victor Il. Hanson of the Birmingham News to submit briefs for and against the traffic in these drinks.
 Because of the fact that pr. Crump- ton did not respond with q clear-cut argument or brief such as was re- quested and answered in sort of controversial manner, l deem it but fair and proper to quote the entire correspondence.
 The charge that anybody's pledge is being violated is absurd. The claim that any candidate for governor, for state senator or for representa- tive pledged himself to oppose the sale of mineral water or buttermilk or soda water or any other nonalcoholic and nonintoxicating drink is ridic- ulous and preposterous and untrue on it's face. The question had not been raised and perhaps had not been thought of during the campaign of 1918.
 The principal objection raised by the opponents of these soft drinks is that they are manufactured by peo- pie who formerly made beer and that they cannot be trusted. This boy colt against men engaged in legi- innate and harmless occupation sim ply because they were formerly en- gagged in the business of making beer does not appeal to my sense of justice. It indicates a spirit of preju dice and vindictiveness unat is unjust and not at all creditable to those who hold and harbor it.
 For example, MT. Brooks Lawrence, superintendent Of the Anti Saloon League of Alabama, told me in 1919 that he had no objection to these ce- real beverages and that in year or two when the brewers have become duly penitent and assume the proper attitude on their knees or words to that effect, he would not object to their sale in Alabama.
 The brief of MT. Hanson speaks for itself. 9
 CORRESPONDENCE WITH DIR.
 CRUMPTON
 "July 16, 1921. "Dr, W. B. Crumpton, President, Anti Saloon League,
 Montgomery, Ala.
 My dear Doctor: Will you kindly prepare, or have prepared for me, at your convenience, a brief or argu- ment against the licensing or per- hitting the sale of cereal nonalco- holic beverages in the state? If you will do so I will be very much obliged. Very truly yours
 THOMAS E. KILBY,
 Governor"
 Crumpton's Argument
 (Not Dated) To Governor Thos. F. Kilby:
 Dear Governor; In response to your request that l prepare "a brief or argument against the licensing, or permitting the sale of cereal, non intoxicating beverages in the state," l reply:
 prefer the term near beer to the word notwithstanding" and will so discuss the question. To license such beverage. our Alabama laws would have to be amended. This would be in violation of pledge in 1918 by yourself and most of the legislature. by which you secured the support of the Alabama Anti-Saloon league and the prohibitionists of Alabama, that no law would be passed that would change present prohibition laws.
 This is all the argument l care to make at this time.
 With all good wishes for you per sonally and the great state over which you are the chief magistrate, 1 am yours very truly.
 (Slgned) W. B. CRUMPTON.
 Another Letter to Crunipton
 July 21 l92r. pr. w. B. Crumpton. Montgomery, Ala;
 My bear Doctor: Your letter, not dated, in reply to my letter of July S. Is received.
 sunnosa if makes little diffarenca