Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-05-16
DRYING UP THE WORLD
BY Frederic J. Hsskin

III Dy Ifthsi'
washington, May 1ss--H prohibl-
tiou n temporary thina, from when
public opinion will swing away etrong5
1v 4, \ few years or few decades
Wnl public and official support OF the
yolstead law in the United Stafes faii
away 90 that the law becomes a oeon
letter, and bootleggIng DO tolerated
Without much interference from the
nol,ca or from Federal officials.
The state of mind of the American
publlc viii be well shown In many OF
the congressional elections TINS
autumn. The wet and dry issue NJ
foremost in many Of the campaigns.
Straight out party issues oo hot
amount 20 very much. The same oin
hue and cry about extravaganza ano
taxes voiced by tho outs" and point
Ing with pride 10 accomplishments "
tho "lns" doesn't arouse any trans
cendent enthusiasm among tho great
common people so frequently referred
10 by campaign orators.
But the question Of liquor seems to
remain a very live one with nearly
everybody. The interest keeps UP,
whether person be wet or dry IN
sentiment. Ia the elections this fall
there win be some effort TO organize
on the part Of citizens who believe pro
hibition a failure and a bad thing
just ms the Anti Saloon League and
other similar so-called reform orga-
nizatIons have organized their follow
ers and the dry voters with considers-
| bio euccess.
In tho coming elections the history
of the yoistead law will be revived
Anti prohlbitionists viii recall the
charge that tho VoNtead law WAS pass-
ed over President Wilson's veto In
violation Of an agreement which he'd
been made with several opponents OF
tho measure. When the measure had
gone to tho White House. several Penn
eylvania, New York, and other Con
greesrnen who were opposed 10 tn'
Volstead measure secured promises
go they said then, that they could 81
homo in safety, and that there woulf
not be vote on passage OF the meas
ure again IL IL was vetoed by Mr.. VII
son, until they had a chance TO b.
present and caet their ballots.
Bad Faith Charged.
However. according TO certain anti
drys, when IL was found that ther
was a sufficiently large dry vote In tn
House. with tho wet New York an
Pennsylvania members absent. the bi
was called UP for passage over IN
veto Of the President, and among thos
present and voting the sufficient two
thirds Affirmative vote was secured.
i Interest in the matter Of prohibition
however. ia spreading throughout IN
world. partly due 10 tho efforts of th
s agents Of tho Anti-Ssloon Isagu
England was made the first objectiy
2 of this purely American organization
r. The first emisssry OF any prominenc
n who was sent 10 the tight little q
n land was nsobbed when ne started h
= campaign, and in tho excitement or
" of his eyes was knocked out. Howeve
r no took this loss 80 phiiosophicsli
o seeming 70 think that It wsS vol Io
d In his oause. that there was q rsvu
Rion Of feAl,nx toward HIM personait
= and those who had nohbed him looks
e upon him latsr A. a good sport
D. This man, judging by tho prsssa
o situation. did not mako much heal
y way, and was latar reported to be q
O. tempting 20 ameliorats tho conditie
y OF the Indian SUBJECTS OF tho Britt,
crown In tho excitement there OF
IL political nature. however. he has n
" succeeded IN getting much pubItcit
:. and whatever he is engaged IN doir
20 now is not particularly welI-knov
q hero except TO his immediate frien
and associates in tho upllft organic
~ ton for which he works
For many months past anti-dry 8
]" cieties have been quietly at work o
- ganizing. The first object Of the
- organizations has been merely TO e
roll members. One of them with hea
quarters IN Washington has declar
that it is not seeking to change al
opinions, or proselyte IN any way
that at present no members we
wanted except those who believed Z
present supposedly dry regime a b
thing. with the bootlegging @
as rampant. and who want a modifcati
10 OF the Voistead law or eventual 7
'n peal Of the dry amendment to the Co
as stitution.
The efforts of the dry organizatio
Id will be spread to other countries. Sol
n Of the agents OF these associatio
Us have dreams OF a dry world. They a
particularly desirous OF making cou
I'd tries within striking distance OF I
or United States abolish the legal s.
ly and manufacture of liquor and be
In believing that this will be step
ly ward making prohibition effective
ce the United States. Parts OF Cana
an are somewhat dry now, but Mex
and the West Indian islands, otl
ne than those under the American IL
e. are as wet as can be.
- Just at this time. though, the VIII
attention OF the Anti-Saloon Leag
for instance. is centered in the co
no ing congressional elections. Some CT
TO didates, such as Senator Reed
=! Missouri, have directly defied this
ganization. Senator Reed has alta,
ed the actions of Wayne Wheeler.
ir, moving spirit In the Anti-Salc
ect League, publicly. Then. too. the p
'at fessionl reform organizations h;
IN the beginning of organized opposit
,ut 70 fight this year. From nresent IN
on. cations. this is regarded onlv as
beginning by the anti-dry org
izations. which are just getting un
way. However. they hope 10 be q