The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1923-06-29
BISHOP SAYS YOUNG
CHRISTIANS ARE DRY
Declares 100000 Methodist Youths
Would Fight Smith for
President

If Governor Smith OF New York.
who signed a repeater OF the New
York prohibition law and who is visit
ing the vets in Chicago. ever runs for
president he will have the united op-
position OF 100000 young people. ac-
cording to Bishop \. w. Leonard OF
San Francisco, Cal. who is presiding
at the annual meeting of the board OF
Epworth league.
"These 100000 young Mcthodists
are not all OF them old enough to vote,
yet those who cannot vote can in
huence a great constituency said
Bishop Leonard
"They are fraction of the hosts of
young Christians OF America who
stand solidly behind the Eighteenth
Amendment They and the older
members OF the churches have not yet
really got into action on bootlegging.
but everywhere | go in America find
sentiment for law enforcement. the
loutcss.ne of which will be tremendous
drive for law and order in the near
future
"The bootleggers and moonshiners
and the other brazen law breakers
engaged in the liquor traffic have just
about reached the limit of impudence
to the American people. Their prop
aganda has deluded many honest pco-
pie into believing that their noise is a
sign of strength. They have honey
combed the machinery of the law with
crooks, so as to make it appear that
the prohibition law is impossible of en-
forcement.
Says Sentiment Will Prevail
"A mighty wave of public sentiment
swept the legal liquor traffic into OBJ
livion and it can and will likewise deal
with the illegal liquor traffic which is
now Haunting itself. When the law
abiding American people do make
their full strength felt it will put the
bootleggers and moonshiners into the
jails and penitentiaries, where they be-
long, and corrupt officials will go with
them. Then we will have a real test
of prohibition,
Speaking in the name of 100000
young Christians, I want to say that
the Epworth league looks upon the en-
forcement of the prohibition law as a
matter of righteousness and its mem
bers feel it their Christian duty to do
everything to bring that about. They
are not sympathizers with any move
ment tending to break down respect
for law and the Constitution. Special
attention is being given in 12o sum-
mer institutes by thousands of our
young people this summer to the ques-
ton of bringing about a greater re-
spect for law and more vigorous law
enforcement Indeed, such is a part
OF the doctrine and policy of the
Methodist Episcopal church, and our
young people believe heartily in it and
in the church leaders who stand for it.
The integrity of the Christian church
calls for law and order.
No Question of Outcome
"When the real battle begins be-
tween the vets and drys there is no
question of the outcome. Our people
are loyal at heart. Prohibition was
the result OF thirty years of grow
ing public sentiment. 1t will not
be wiped OUT by the Vaccinations of
bunch of law-breakers, who are in
the business for the profit they can
make"
Bishop Leonard stated that dry
sentiment is growing on the Pacific
coast and that efforts to bring about
lsxity Of law enforcement will certain
ly fail.
The bishop declared that young peo-
pie are turning to the church in greater
numbers than for a generation and
that he has signed more charters for
new league organizations in the last
year than have been recorded in any
similar period in the history of the or
ganization.-Chicago Daily News.