Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-09-21
White RibbOners
In 48th Session
At North Berwick

(specia).-The 4sth annual conven-
ton of the Maine W. c. T. Z. opened
Wednesday in the Congregational
church for a three-days session. Miss
Harriet ]. Loring Of East Otisheld had
charge Of the devotional services. Ruth
z. Walsh, State musical director, rem
dered a solo.
! Mrs. Althca G. Quimby, president of
the Maine State w. C. T. T., gave
| splendid address.
In opening her address. Mrs. Quimby
| expressed her Joy at the outcome OF
| the fight against liquor agents in this
| country during the past year. She re-
| joices in the passage Of the Willis
Campbell bill, and the fact that in the
recent primary elections in several
states, the beer and wine candidates
were overwhelmingly defeated How
ever, she states, 1T behooves the tenn
perance people to be ever alert at the
polls. Here we can show ourselves
true Americans. defenders Of the Con-
sttution. That the vets are desper-
ately in earnest and vigorously at
work. must not be minimized." She
reports that the United States Senate
judiciary Subcommittee accuses IL
! Quor interests Of secretly controlling
newspapers, and advancing money for
political campaigns. Through their 80
odd organizations, they openly state
that they will support any wet" can
didate at the polls, regardless OF party
| or of moral issue.
I'VE are facing a crisis" says Mrs.
Qumby. She lkens it to the crisis
which followed the ratification Of the
Constitution in 1889. The period now
following the 18th Amendment also
calls for leaders, great men, (and
women as welD and constant alertness
among our citizens, to carry out the
purpose.
THE possible return of the sale of
light wines and beer cannot be looked
upon with too much seriousness" she
states. 1T would undo all the good
work Of the Volstead Act. 1t would
bring back the saloon. and all the evils
which attend the use of alcohol in any
form" She named many things upon
which alcohol has been found by sci
cnce to have a bad influence. Among
them are military life, education,
muscle and nerve activity, and accura-
cy in any endeavor. Because of these
facts. the thinking men and women of
the nation. including the churches and
educators are all opposed to the re-
turn of beer and light wines
From a survey by the Intercollegiate
Prohibition Association. of 15S col
lcges. representing $4,000 students.
1876 favored prohibition. Ten were in
definite. eight unfavorablc and four en-
dorsed the theory, but not the laws.
To prove that the women of the ma
ton ale supporting prohibition. Mrs.
Quimby named eight or 10 womcn's
organiza ions which are strongly in
favor of it.
Some of the benefits to the country
Of three years Of prohibition are stat
cd. OF a0,000000 drinkers, 1850, 900
have quit drinking. Only SO of the
quantity of liquor formerly drunk is
now consumed. The drink bill. of the
country has been reduced $1,000, 100000
year. Arrests of DRINKS have de-
creased Coz. Twenty per cent Of the
! jails have been closed, and the num-
Der of alcoholic patients in insane asy-
lums and charitable institutions are
fast decreasing. The year of 1921
was the healthiest, happiest Year in
the history of the United States. A
marked decrease in deaths from tuber-
culosis is due in part to prohibition.
Mrs Quimby intensified the need
and duty of all agents of Law and Or
der to inforce liquor laws. especially
| in Maine where "smugglinS' must be
suppressed. She quoted President
Harding in his message to the coun-
try to uphold the 18th Amendment.
that Maine, the pioneer prohibition
State, must be leader in this glori-
Gus crusade. Her regret that the di-
rect primary law is not more securely
supported, was mentioned, also the i'm
portance of women voters in the right
| kind of government.
She spoke of the importance of
training children in temperance work
and of the opportunity of Temperance
day in schools. The influence Of pub
fishers, through magazines, news
| papers and periodicals, is great. The
act of Keith's theatres in censuring
all prohibition jokes. is highly COM
mended.
Tn closing. the speaker quoted our
Chief Executive: NO double stand
ard can be tolerated in regard to a
persons moral life. Today, men must
rise to the same high moral standard
they insist upon in women" Mrs
| Qumbys own message to the w. c. T.
l.. is, Let us diligently make our in
fuence felt through our department of
Social Morality
| Mrs. Juliette II. Cakes of Wood
fords, State superintendent of the de-
| partments of medical temperance, anti
narcotic and health gave her report
in part as follows:
Patent medicines containing from 10
| to ojcc alcohol create and increase the
| taste for strong drink and in making
/ a fight against such medicines the de-
partment of Medical Temperance is
! helping law enforcement. Patent med
! icines would have no vogue if the alco-
removal affect the curative value of
! such medicines. Two we'll known pa
| tent medicines are made without alco-
! hol. mixture of glycerine and water
| being used as a preservative. Sec. of
! Labor Davis recently declared that
| beer is necessary for working men to
| give them strength" but the testi-
mony Of scientific men and leading
| physicians of much experience among