Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-04-27

:, APRIL 81, 1929.
side and hopelessly embarrassed
for long periods together by
making a political issue of
1 great question that is essenti-
ally non-political, non-partisan,
moral and social in it's nature.
Holding these views, that the liq-
| uor question was one which was
essentially non-political, nOfl-parti-
san, moral and social in it's nature"
the president refused by any act Of
his to influence public opinion when
the eighteenth amendment was up
for consideration in the senate and
house.
Against Wartime Prohibition
He deeply resented and strenuous
ly opposed the passage of wartime
prohibition as uncalled for and I'M
necessary. In his opinion, it was
! not food conservation measure,
but an out-and-out attempt by the
anti-salooh forces to use the war
emergency to declare the country
"dry" by congressional action. There
was another reason for his attitude
of opposition to wartime prohibi-
ton. He believed with an embargo
placed upon beer, the consumption
of whisky, of which there were large
stocks in the country, would be
stimulated and increased to a great
extent. In this opinion he was sup
ported by Herbert Hoover, food adj
ministrator. In a letter of May %,
1918, to Senator Sheppard, the lead
err of the prohibition forces in the
senate, he explained his opposition
to wartime prohibition in these
words:
The White House, Washington,
May %, 1918.
The Hon. Morris Sheppard, Unit
ed States Senate.
My dear Senator: I was very
much distressed by the action of
the house. I do not think that it
: is wise or fair to attempt to put
such compulsion on the execu-
tive in a matter in which he has
already acted almost to the limit
of his authority. What is almost
entirely overlooked is that there
was, as I am informed, very
! large stocks of whisky in this
quite certain that if the brew
! ing of beer were prevented en-
tirely, along with all other
drinks, many of them llermless,
which are derived from food and
, foodstuffs, the consumption of
whisky would be stimulated and
increased to a very considerable
extent.
: My own Judgment is that it is
wise and statesmanlike to let
the situation stand as it is for
the present, until at any rate
I shall be appraised by the food
administration that it is neces-
sary in the way suggested still
further to conserve the supply
of food and foodstuffs. The food
administration has not thought
it necessary to go any further
than we have in that matter al
ready gone.
I thank you most cordially,
senator, for your kindness in con
sulting me in this matter, which
: is of very considerable impor-
, lance, and has very distinct
bearing upon many collateral
questions.
Cordially and sincerely yours,
WOODROW WILSON.
| Wartime prohibition was ingenu'
J ously made part of the agricultur.
, al appropriation bill, which contained
many items necessary for the effec'
tive prosecution of the war. So
, strongly did the president feel about
the matter that I am frank to say
, that if wartime prohibition had sood
alone and was disconnected from any
other bill, 1 believe it would have
been vetoed.
,, After the arnistice, agitation al
once began, inspired by the dry
advocates throughout the country, ia
prolong wartime prohibition, but the
president felt that the object and
purpose of wartime prohibition, II
any ever existed, having been serv-
ed, it was only right, proper and
fair that there should be an imme-
date repeal of it, and that only re-
sentiment and restlessness through
out the country would follow the
attempt to pro1ong wartime prohi-
bition beyond the time provided in
the statute which created it.
| Opposed by "Dry" Leaders
It was unfortunate that the "dry''
advocates did not see the thing
through the eyes of the president.
Apparently not fully satisfied with
the victory they had won through
the adoption of the Eighteenth
' amendment, they sought to push
the advantage thus gained still fur.
Their, and through wartime prohi-
bition to establish their policy of
restriction as a permanent policy
of the country. Realizing that pro-
hibition as a permanent policy and
by constitutional amendment had
been definitely established in a con-
stitutional way, the president was
reluctant to take stand that would
even in spirit be violation of this,
but. he also felt that the "dry" ad-
vocates were simply using war
crisis ruthlessly to press forward
their views and to cajole vacillating
congressman into supporting it be-
cause it was known as a dry" meas
ure.