Evening star., 1926-04-12
WOMEN OPEN FIGHT
AGAINST LIQUOR At.
HEARINGS OF DRYS
100000 to 1900, 600
Want Continuance of Law,
Speakers Declare.
MRS. PEABODY DEMANDS
STRICTER ENFORCEMENT
Not Discouraged. Leader Asserts.
Reed Subjects Witnesses to
Sharp Examination.

The opening gun for the drys was
fired today by the Women's National
Committee for Law Enforcement be
1orc he Senate Judiciary subcom-
mittec at the wet and dry hearings.
Niarshaled by Mrs. Henry W. Pea
hpdy chairman of the law enforce
jHcnt committed the speakers told
~" Senate committee that between
T5.t0o 600 and $4,000. 900 women con
,octed with the churches and clubs
which they represented demanded the
continuance OF prohibition and more
strict enforcement of the law.
rho Senate committee room was
t1uWded as never before during the
present hearings with spectators and
the - women who were detailed to
sneak. Not all were heard in the two
hours accorded them. Those who
were unable to speak filed resolutions
for prohibition adopted by their or
CdnizationS.
The hearings We're enlivened by the
tross-queStioning of some of the wom-
en- by Senator Reed of Missouri, the
wet member of the committee.
Crowds Pack Corridors.
Long before the hearing began
crowds of women formed in the cor
ridOrs outside of the committee room,
end there were many protests because
the guards would not admit them.
When the 75 woman witnesses entered
the room, however. the aisles and
even the space back of the commit
tee table We're completely filled.
Mrs. Peabody read to the commit
y tee a long list of the organizations
which the women represented.
I'VE have come here at our own eX-
pense," said Mrs. Peabody. I'VE are
not affiliated with any temperance or
garization except the w. G.. T. U.
The women stand for the home. schoo!
and the church. We ask that there
shall be no amendment to the eight
eenth amendment to the Constitution
and no modification of the Volstead
act. We ask the removal of men who
do not enforce the law"
Would Strengthen Law.
You say that you stand for no
modification of the Volstead Act" said
Senator Reed. Would you strength
en- it?"
Mrs. Peabody replied that she would
have the law strengthened in New
York and Maryland where there is no
State enforcement act and where the
law is seriously broken.
Il would have a State enforcement
law enacted by the State Legislatures
tn those two States" said Mrs. Pea
body. She said that the women were
emphatically opposed to any modifica-
ton of the one-half of l per cent in
depreciation of Intoxicating beverages,
saying that years ago the brewers had
insisted upon such a definition in or
der to protect themselves against the
manufacturers of soft drinks.
''YoIl content with the NO1Stpa0
Act as it now stands?" pursued SEN
ator Reed.
''T would like to have the Tolstead
act made stronger" replied Mrs. Pea
body*> She added, however, that the
difficulty was not with the law and
the constitutional amendment, but the
difficulty had been in adjusting the
new law to the people.
Women 'NOt Discouraged"
We are not discouraged" said Mrs
, Peabody.
In reply to further questions by
senator Reed as to whether the wom-
en were content with the Volstead act,
Airs. Peabody said: "W'e will accept
St gladly if it can be enforced by the
proper officials We don't want it
made any weaker. We want the
strongest thing possible in enforce
ment and the weakest thing in liquor"
This remark drew forth a round of
applause from the women. The hear
ings We're frequently punctuated by
such applause.
Mrs. Peabody told Senator Reed that
fhe women were not there to present
any particular amendment to the
Nostead act.
Senator Reed questioned Mrs. ePa-
body about the organization of the
law enforcement committee, and she
told how the various organizations
. of women had acted for themselves
' in selecting their representatives.
Didn't Know of Hearing.
We arranged for our convention
here four months ago, n meeting
10 take place here from April II to
49, said Mrs. Peabody. 'In the
providence of God. l believe, the
dates came at the same time as this
hearing. We had acted on the ques-
lion of light wines and beer, but we
did not know of this hearing"
Mrs. l.. H. Silverthorne. president
of the Women's Board of Foreign
missions, was first called to the stand
by Mrs. Peabody She told the COM
mittee that she represented Sc or
ganizatiOns. with about 5000, 900
members, working all over the earth
From missionaries in many coun-
tries we have received requests to
have America stand firm for prohi-
bition," said Mrs. Silverthorne THE
prohibition question is of worldwide
interest" She told the committee
that there are $4,000 students from
the Orient in Amerca, and that they
are eagerly regarding the effort to
enforce prohibition in this country.
Church Representative Speaks.
Mrs Emerich representing the
Federal Council of Churches, with
25.000 900 members, demanded more
adequate enforcement of the law.
Mrs. Robert Il. Spear, national
president of the Y. w. c. A., pre-
scented resolutions passed by that or
ganization for law observance, and
particularly for enforcement of the
Volstead act.
Lieut.. Col. Martha Hamon of the
Salvation Army told the committee
that the salvation Army. which goes
freely into the homes, had found con.
ditions very much better since pro-
hibition had come in. The children,
she said, are able to go to Sunday
school with better shoes and stock
ings than ever before.
Senator Walsh asked Col. Hamon if
Continued on Pace . Colnrln -