The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1923-11-02

Many people have the impression
that the former saloonkeepers OF Hi
nois are no longer making an organ
lied fight against prohibition. The
truth is that these former Intoxicating
liquor dealers are as we'll organized
as ever and are planning to make the
greatest campaign they have ever car
ried on between now and the primary
election on April g. The purpose of
the saloonkeepers' organization is ex-
pressed in the following resolution:
Resolved that our president and
executive committee be empowered
!. and instructed to use every effort
to elect men to the state legis-
lature and the national Congress
who favor such legislation as
will permit the manufacture and
y sale of good Wholesome beer and
light wines sufficiently fortified to
be fit for the invalid and the table
and that they be instructed to
make such drafts upon the treas
ury as may be reasonable in order
to carry on a most effective cam
paign.
The above resolution was passed at
the forty-fourth annual convention of
the Retail Malt Beverage Dealers As
sociation held in Chicago on Septem-
Der 81, 1923. This organization was
formerly the Retail Liquor Dealers
Association of Illinois, but the words
Malt Beverage" were substituted for
: the word Liquor" in the name OF the
Organization after the country went
Arv. The purpose pf5 this organization
(Which has been active in Illinois poll
tics for forty-four years. to make its
greatest fight in the coming primary
campaign was emphasized by its pres
ident Mr.. Ernest Kunde, in his annual
report.
Unlimited Financial Means"
He said, 1--WE must be alive and ac-
tive; neither time nor money should be
= spared to carry on this all important
work, and l would earnestly recon-
mend that a special political action
committee be appointed with unlim-
tied financial means to carry on the
greatest fight that this organization has
ever been called upon to perform. Let
us not shirk our duty"
Earlier in his report, President
Kunde referred specifically to the pri-
mary campaign. He said. THE pri-
maries for the state legislature and tor
congressional candidates will be held
in April next. Our minority system
of representation in Illinois makes the
primary election most important, TOR
in two-thirds of the districts the NOM
ination is equivalent to an election.
Next year 20 senators are to be
/. elected; FIVE of these will represent
Cook county districts; q will repre-
sent down-state districts" Still ear
lier in his report President Kunde re-
ferred to the wet bills that had been
defeated in the last session of the leg
islature.
In this connection he said, "The roll
calls on these important bills have
been published in the Champion OF
Fair Play and reissued by the Veterans
Of Liberty in leaflet form, and the vot-
ers in many of the districts have been
advised of the treachery of their rep
resentatives. | sincerely trust that
this work will be carried on and
} would urge this convention to order
a special political action committee ap-
nointed to carry on this fight against
the Anti-Saloon League at the coming
primary and general election and to
! make a special appropriation Tor that
purpose"
Greatest Fight Ahead
Speaking of the effort to be made
10 secure the modification of the Vol
stead act. President Kunde again de-
clared that his organization would
fight harder in the future than ever in
the past, and that their greatest work
would be done in the coming primary
election campaign. He said, Il be-
lieve that the greatest work or this
organization lies before US. From all
we can see and hear there is great hope
that the new Congress will give us
back beer and light wine. But we
must work for it as we have never
worked before; but here in Illinois,
no matter whal relief we may secure
at Washington, and the chances are
sbod, we in Illinois are still bound
hand and foot by our state prohibition