Evening star., 1925-12-05
SHOWDOWN FIGHT
ON DRY LAW SURE
IN NEW CONGRESS
Vets and Drys Gird for Fin
iSh BattIe-HoWard Re-
buked for Action.
PLEA FOR AID OF POPE
IS CALLED IMPUDENT
Dyer to Ask Outright Repeal Of
Volstead Act-Liquor Foes
Are Confident.

Congress- gathers for it's new session
amid grand marshalinc of dry and
wet forces that BODIES lively time
for the prohibition issue on the legis
lative floors.
Timed TO catch the ear of assembling
members of the Senate and House
the attack from some elements of the
dry side on prohibition enforcement
conditions not only has been carried
10 the White House, but even across
The seas in a direct appeal to Pope
Plus XI for moral support of civil
authority" in this country.
The appeal to the Pope by the
United Committee for Prohibition
Enforcement that he urge leaders
of the Catholic Church in the
United States to seek greater OBJ
-servance among It's members on the
prohibition laws, has drawn a sharp
rebuke from Rev. John J. Burke, gen.
eral secretary of the National Catholic
Welfare Conference. The conference
comprises all the Catholic bishops in
the United States.
Love of America and it's funda
mental institutions did not direct the
hand that wrote this letter. said
Father Burke in A statement discuss
Ing the letter of Clinton y. Howard,
chairman of the committee, in which
its appeal was presented to the Pope.
Calls Move Impudent.
The impudence of demanding that
the Holy Father personally interfere
in the domestic political affairs of our
country will be patent to every one, p"
he said.
The committee. which comprises
Catholic as we'll as Protestant reform
orga nizattons, sent its appeal to the
Pope after the delivery of its COM
plant to President Coolidge Thurs
day had caused the resignation of
four of it's orga anization representa-
tives, who repudiated the views 1t
contained.
On the wet side of the issue, Repre-
sentative Dyer of Missouri, ranking
Republican on the House judiciary
committee, has announced he will
seek outright repeal of the Voistead
act at the forthcoming session, but
the executive committees of the Wom-
ems Christian Temperance Union and
the Anti.Saloon League heard express
sions of confidence from more than
a score OF Senators and Representa-
tives last night that any change in
the enforcement law would be only
to strengthen it. An optimistic pic
ture of the future of prohibition was
given the committees at the meeting.
which also was addressed by Assist
ant Secretary Andrews, the prohibi-
tion enforcement head. and Prohibi-
tion Commissioner Haynes.
Other developments in the situation
include the announcement by the
Anti-Saloon League of a legislative
progra murging that Congress pro
vide such additional judicial machin-
cry as is needed to speed up law en-
forcement," and vigorous denuncia-
ton by the Association Against the
Prohibition Amendment of the COM
pOsite reform groups criticism of the
Chief Executive.
The Presidents appointment of
Assistant Secretary Andrews to head
the prohibition forces, the associa
ton said is alone sufficient to prove
the untruthful nature" Of the criti-
cisms.
Calls Letter "Impudent."
The text of Father Burkes re-
Joinder TO Mr.. Howard's letter follows
in full:
Mr.. Clinton n. Howard s letter OF
December 4 addressed to his holiness
Pope Plus NJ is like the action of the
Pharisees attempting by their ques-
What belongs to America the holy
father will leave to America. To the
bishops of the country he has intrust-
ed the welfare of the church in this
country. They have not failed. nor
will they fail. in the worthy guidance
of their people. Their fidelity through
q century and a half has given truth
10 the statement in the letter. The
great body of American citizens have
always respected the Catholic Church
as the unf1inching advocate of every
home virtue as well as public duty
Love of America and its fundamental
institutions did not direct the hand
that wrote this letter. The impudence
of demanding that the holy father per-
sonally interfere in the domestic po-
Iitical affairs of our country will be
patent to every one. Prohibition is
political question; was born of politics.
and today is the most critical political
question in America. Mr.. Howard
sought to discredit President Coolidge
and failed. His present effort to dis
credit the Catholic Church of the
United States is equally futile"
Program to be Submitted.
The. National Legislative Confer
ence. which concluded it's sessions
nj the Raleigh Hotel Thursday night,
decided, it was learned today. to sub
nit to its many constituents bodies
a legislative program proposed by
the legislative representatives in
Washington.
These representatives in the Nation
al Capital signed the recommenda-
tions: Mrs. +. \. Yost, National
Women's Christian Temperance I'm
ion: DR.. Edwin G.. Dinwiddle. Inter
national Order of Good Templars:
Deets Pickett, Board of Temperance,
Prohibition and Public Morals of the
Methodist Episcopal Church. J. Ray
mond Schmidt, International Reform
Federation; Wayne b. Wheeler, Anti
Saloon League of America. Miss
Laura Rookie Church, the National
Temperance Bureau.
The legislative program. which the
conference agreed to send back to
their constituent bodies TO rconsidera-
ton. included:
Civil Service status for prohibition
agents.
Increased penalties for violation of
the national prohibition act. and
making prison sentences mandatory;
also making it a felony to forge pro-
hibition permits, and to issue forged
tpernlits.
Adequate appropriations for the en-
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