Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-02-09
BISHOP O'CONNELL
COMES OUT SQUARE
AGAINST DRY LAW

Boston, Feb. S.-(AP)-William
Cardinal O'Connell declared in a
public statement issued today that
compulsory prohibition was "fatly
opposed to Holy Scripture and Cath
Ollie tradition" It was his first Of
fetal pronouncement regarding pro-
hibition.
The position OF the Catholic
church was outlined as opposed to
compulsory prohibition, although
supporting voluntary total absti-
nence. To define the Catholic stand
point he adopted a statement in the
London Tablet Of January % entitled
Catholics and Prohibitionists.''
"Christehdom's moral reformers,"
he said, tell us that Rome is the
Scarlet Woman, but they find that
she Is quite prettily clad in pink
when they want her to march in a
temperance crusade.
mot that the church needs per-
suading to fight against intemper-
ance. From the days when, St. Paul
warned the Ephesians not to be
drunk with wine, the church's pas
tors have dealt faithfully with this
ugly vice but-and here is the real
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. non tollit usum'
(The abuse of think does not de-
, stroy its use)-ale, wine, and their
like are not in themselves evil. They
have their lawful uses ranging down
from the supreme honor paid to
wine along with bread as the matter
of the Holy Eucharist to their gen.
eral work of moistening and enliven-
ing the laborer's rough fare.
"Unhappily this is not the view of
some Protestants with whom we are
asked to associate ourselves for tenn
perance progress. Reviving the
hoary heresy of the aquarians, they
would Danish wine from the sacri-
flee of the altar, as neo-manichees
they would have us err and stray
with them in the thornbrakes of
false physics and false metaphysics.
ITO these appeals the Catholic
church cannot accede. Voluntary to-
tai abstinence she applauds as in the
case of a strong-willed man who
renounces fermented liquor for the
sake of a weak-willed brother.
But compulsory prohibition is a
different thing. For compulsory pro-
hibition In general is fatty opposed
to the Holy Scripture and to Catho-
lie tradition. Moreover, it is grossly
untrue to say that pathology and d.
atetics have brought in a verdict of
guilty against the immemorial bey-
erages of the old world.
although 1t has been made clear
thousand times that we will work
with our separated brethren as tenn
perence men but not as the tools of
those whose confessed policy is
worldwide prohibition by INSTALL
ments, disloyal attempts are still be-
ing made to entagle u.s."
The cardinal then declared that
prohibitionists of this country had
tried recently ito entrap the pope by
begging him to give his moral sup
port to secure the observance Of the
law of prohibition. The ruse failed
badly. 49,
"Prohibitionists, having formed the
bad habit of Misrepresentation. will
continue to repeat that same attitude.
They have made Misrepresentation
their l-the-year-round practice. Go
with them mile and they will boast
that you have gone with them a
twain. Promise you will work with
them by education and moral suasion
for the general virtue Of temperance
and they will compromise you with
compulsory total abstinence"