Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-05-09
|LZER'S
TALK To WOMEN
Open Letter Sent Governor
Head of the Anti-Sa-
loon League

NEWARK, May 9.-Resentins
Governor silzer's attitude as to pro
hibition during the state executive
address at the convention Of thu
Federation of Women's Clubs. sam.
ue1 Wilson, assistant state superin.
tendent of the Auti-Saloon League OF
New Jersey in an open letter to tht
governor refutes him for the state
ments he made in connection with
the enforcement of prohibition laws
Mr.. Wilson's letter, in full. as is
sued for publication this morning
follows:
Ny Dear Sir:
When you went out OF your way
last week to embarrass the ladies oil
the convention OF the federation OF
wonlen's clubs It Atlantic City, by
constituting yourself an unauthoriz-
ed father c~onfessor, you pulled off &
successful publicity stunt that has
won the plaudits of wet journals and
of bootleggers. AS to its effects,
however. l am reminded of Lincoln's
remark in his debate with Douglass:
THAT reply may elect Douglas to
the senate, but he will never be
president"
"Your question. as reported in a
wet journal, was this:
How many ladies in this audience
have either not violated the Volstead
act personally, or have not seen it
violated in their homes?'
Your conclusion that the so per
cent of the delegates who kept their
seats were self-confessed lawbreak-
- -z--H-I- 49, - - .==144- a1aTrr ~
who argued with the ring-master
that no women love their husbands.
II can prove it." said the clown.
well. prove it, was the reply.
Turning TO the audience, the clown
called out, 'All you ladies who love
your husbands, rise!" Not a woman
moved. ~whereupon, following the
same clownish logic by which you
misjudged the delegates, the clown
cried, "I told you SO. Not a woman
here loves her husband
This circus clown was as much
justified in his conclusion as you
were in yours. What right had you
to confess the ladies, and what right
had you to condemn them? In
doubtedly many women resented
your question as out of order and
impudent, and refused to
bulge; and it is possible that your
raw reference to home and family
have touched a sore spot with
others whom you class with law
breakers because they resented your
intrusion in private affairs. In any
event, in speaking as you did, not
withstanding the federation presi-
dents statement that you had been
invited to speak about sugar and
coal, and not on prohibition, you
have aroused resentment that will
grow as the story is told to the
women of America.
In view of your action, it would
have been appropriate IL some dele
gate had risen in her sea and asked;
will Governor Silver please an
swer this question: Have you, when
judge and governor, responsible to
protect and enforce the law, yourself
violated the prohibition law, or seen
it violated without remonstrance?
And what have you done to enforce
the LAVE"
One wonders why, in addressing a
New Jersey audience, you overlooked
the responsibilities of the governor
and went out of your way to criti-
CHE the national government because
Washington is not completely dry.
How about Trenton. Newark, Pater-
son, Jersey City? You are the chief
magistrate Of New Jersey. and the
state constitution requires that you
shall take care that the laws be
faithfully executed" New Jersey has
a prohibition law, and it is as much
your duty 10 use your authority to
see that it is enforced as it is the
Presidents dutJ to enforce the Vol
stead law. There are in New Jersey
thousands of peace officers and con-
stabulary under the sam obligation
TO enforce the prohibition law as the
laws against larceny or arson.
Instead of complaining because
the little band of federal agents
haven't made New Jersey dry,
wouldn't it be in better taste, Mr..
Governor, for you to insist that our
own servants do their duty, and do
our own housekeeping? When this
Is done New Jersey will no longer
be q by-word among the states such
as you and your predecessor have
made it. The defect is not in the law,