Evening star., 1926-04-12


] per cent of alcoholic content pro-
vided for in existing law.
Mrs. William Tilton of the Congress
of Parent-Teacher Associations de-
clared that for five years that organ
tzation has fought against any change
in the Volstead law on the grounds
that the law Is In the ntereist Of child
welfare.
1--WE want to look at this question
from broader view than that OF a
few large cites like New York and
Chicago which are breaking the law"
she said.
Mrs. Tilton asked the committee to
remember that 1t took so years to
make a success of nationallsm after
the American colonies had been band
ed together as the United States or
America and that the effects OF the
prohibition law should not be adjudged
after SO short a period as six years.
Says New York Is Better.
Mrs. Samuel Bens of the New York
law enforcement committee, testified
that conditeons are better in New
York now than before prohibition.
Mrs. Chauncey Hamlin. also of New
York, declared that conditions In New
York at present are due to an old
fashioned code which is now being
revised by the Legislature, and not
really to the prohibition law. She
also asserted that DR.. Nicholas Muir
ray Butler does not represent all of
the respectable people of New York in
his views on the prohibition question.
Mrs. Helen Bruce spoke for the law
enforcement committee Of Kentucky
and declared in favor OF leaving the
Volstead law unchanged, stating that
doing SDIen6i6
work.
Mrs, Harvey Flint of Rhode Island
told the committee It is as wrong to
blame all of the evil of the present
day on prohibition as 1t would be 70
blame the Ten Commandments for all
the sins of the world.
Says Chicago Is Dryer.
Mrs @. Mathes, formerly president
OF the Woman's Church Federation
of Chicago. issued q statement de-
scribing conditions In Chicago before
prohibition and insisting that they are
far better today. Her statement was
intended particularly as d reply to
that put into the record last week
by George f. Brennan, Democratic
national committeeman Of Illinois
and wet" candidate for the Senate.
Mrs. Mathes said:
I'm 1917. as president of the Won
ans Church Federation of Chicago, /
conducted an investigation Of the
dance halls of the city TO find out
whether the liquor dealers were obey
ing the | O'Clock closing order. We
discovered drinking in all the dance
halls, and with sworn affidavits 100
of our delegates, accompanied by the
principal social workers OF the city.
went to the council chamber to plead
with the aldermen to pass an ordi-
nance to prohibit the sale Of liquor
in the dance halls.
Anton Cermack, now president OF
the county board of Cook County,
who. with George Bremen, recently
appeared before this body to plead
for liquor IN order 10 preserve the
morals OF our youth, conducted the
hearings for the vets. Mr.. Cermack
had no official position in the council
at that time. but was for years the
leader of the organized liquor inter
ests OF Illinois, and In that capacity
appeared as advocate of their interest
at this hearing.
Bartenders' Wives There.
when we arrived at the council
chamber, having previously arranged
for a hearing. we found the room
filled with women. We discovered
upon inquiry that they were the wives
of beer drivers and bartenders, and
few could speak English. One WON.
an, upon being asked what organiza
ton she represented, turned to her
companion and said, What did he tell
us to say?' Her companion, remem-
bered the word United and after some
moments struggle, replied, Oh.
United Charities She was trying to
say. United Societies. but had a more
intimate acquaintance with United
Charities
"A prominent social worker. being
astonished to find q certain foreign
here asking for liquor in the dance
halls. when you know ! took your
daughter home to you drunk last
Saturday night, out of one Of them?'
The poor woman replied, oh, Miss
b., | not Wanta come, ! got to come.
my mans job, ] no come
IAN official report Of the Chicago
Juvenile Protective Association,
March, 1917, reported a thorough in
vestigation of 213 dance halls, snd
they found:
THAT the majority Of dance halls
are controlled by the liquor and vice
interests.
That at 2o5 halls liquor was sold
THAT in 1S9 halls no drinking
water was easily obtained.
THAT indecent conduct was observed
in 11S.
"rhat immoral dancing was per-
mitted in 1877 halls.
Fights In 60 Halls.
THAT fights were observed in 60
halls
I'm the majority Of these halls
State laws and the city ordinances
are both broken.
Minors are admitted unaccom-
panied by parents, and liquor sold to
them openly.
Young girls and boys, fresh from
school, are Piled with liquor. and
with the suggestion of vice, until
dancing ceases to be recreation and
becomes fragrant immortality"
This was the year that the refer
endum bill to submit the question Of
the saloon to the people Of the State
of Illinois was defeated by the wet
interests. Every effort on the part
Of social workers and church women
to get the liQuor-controlled Chicago
Council to remedy the evils outlined In
the above report was futile. Tie only
remedy was to Dust the liquor traffic
from the city and State by the ma
tional amendment. No such condition
as outlined for the year 1917 can be
discovered in Chicago today"
The scheduled list of woman speak.
ers at the hearing, not all Of whom
had an opportunity to be heard, but
all of whom filed resolutions on be-
half of their organizations, follows:
List of Woman Advocates.
Mrs. Henry w. Peabody, chairman
of the woman's national committee
for law enforcement, Beverly, Mass:
Mrs. e. III. Silverthorne, president
Federation Of Women's Board of For
eign Missions; Mrs. r. w. Wilcox,