Evening star., 1925-09-20
Federal Council Believes
Hour Has Struck for
Intensified Effort.
EXTENSIVE CAMPAIGN
OF EDUCATION URGED
Reliance on Legislation Alone Has
Brought Threat of Failure,
Probers Believe.

By the Associated Press.
A campaign to intensity the teach
ing Of temperance in churches will be
undertaken by the Federal Council of
Churches of Christ in America as a
sequal to disclosures made in the
prohibition report of the councils re-
search department.
This report. made public In several
installments during the past week, de-
clared that prohibition is forcing a
supreme test and placed part Of the
blame for present conditions on the
failure of the churches themselves to
keep alive the Temperance crusade
which was an integral part Of their
activities in pre.Volstead days.
Some Of the research Department.
findings have been assailed by DIR.
Clarence True Wilson, secretary of
the Methodist board Of temperance,
who also questioned the department
authority to compile and Issue re-
port on prohibition. To show the
character and purpose Of the inquiry,
the Rev. Samuel McCrea Cavert, gen
eral secretary Of the Federal Council,
last night issued a statement in which
he emphasized the need of a revival
of church effort on behalf OF a dry
country.
Declares Facts Must Be Faced.
1.-THE report on the social study of
the consequences of prohibition by
the research department Of the Fed
eraI Council of Churches comes from
friends of prohibition" said Mr..
Cavert. AN effort was made to find
the facts SO that they can be frankly
faced. The churches cannot work
intelligently unless they have an
exact and thorough knowledge of the
conditions that confront them.
THE report does not pretend to be
conclusive, but to show unmistakable
trends. 1t has no relation whatever
to the policy of the Federal Council
of Churches or to its official attitude
toward prohibition. The great bulk
of the churches composing the Fed
eral Council, as we'll as the council
itself, are clearly on record as favor
ing prohibition.
"In initiating and furnishing the
administrative staff for the citizens
committee of one thousand, the Fed.
eral Council of Churches during the
past Is months has made distinctive
contributions to the challenging task
OF developing public support for the
eighteenth amendment The hour
has struck for following up these
steps by means of constructive
program for temperance education in
all churches.
Temperance Education Needed.
With the coming of national pro-
hibition there has been a tendency to
rely on legislation alone and to relax
educational efforts as to the evils OF
alcohol and the moral meaning OF
temperance. A survey of the methods
of religious education now in use in
the churches shows that training and
habits of temperate living have made
little or no progress in recent years
Such situation, If long continued
would be fatal. This was one of the
reasons why the research department
undertook a survey of the present
status of prohibition. 1t is believed
that one of the results will be a move
ment to reinstate a program of thor
ough temperance education in the
Sunday schools. adult classes and
other organizations Of the church.
1.-The research department of the
Federal Council of Churches Is under
the direction of the Rev. F. Ernest
Johnson, a Methodist preacher, with
special training in research work
The Rev. DR.. William Adams Brown
of New York Is chairman of the com.
mittee. The money necessary for the
study was given by some of the best
friends Of prohibition in the United
States.
Research Held VITAL.
''The research department was es
tablished by the Federal Council OF
Churches because of the strong con.
viction that If the churches are to
deal effectively with the difficult prob
lens in the social and international
realms, they must thoroughly under
stand the facts Of the modern world
The development of the department,
Of research and education over a
period Of several years is an attempt
on the part of the council to secure
and publish the necessary data from
which correct moral judgments on
present day issues can be- formed
The research department was given
official sanction by the council at its
quadrennial meeting in Atlanta, Ga.
last December.
1.-The present piece of research is
no novelty. 1t is the fifth in a series
Continued on Page 8, Column 5O