The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-04-16
DRYS ANSWER
ASSAULTS ON
PROHIBITION
Proposal to Modify VOlstead
Act Has Insuperablc Oh
jcctiOns, They Say
d A NGERS EXPLAINED
Modification Would Make
Bootlegging More Menac-
ing, the Drys Claim

Washington, April l6.--(R-
call Of the house of representatives
is for such thorough going work of
moral persuasion and legal enforce
mcnt as will give the policy Of pro-
hibition an adequate opportunity to
demonstrate ills full value to the ma
tion and the world, said Il statement
presented today to the senate liquor
committee by the administrative COM
mittee Of tho federal council Of
churches.
This declaration by the spokesman
for % protestant communions mark
ed the opening of the drive by the
drys in response to the assaults on
prohibition which have been made by
the vets during the past 10 days.
The statement was read by DR.. Will
liam j. Haven of New York, secrc-
tary Of the American Bible Society.
IF serious evils have sprung up
since prohibition the statement
said, "they are far less than the evils
which arose from the liquor traffic
prior to the 18th amendment. The
liquor traffic with the accompanying
saloon was allied with political cor
ruption, crime, gambling and prosti-
tuition. 1t meant the wreckage of
men and the degradation of families.
Not Adopted Hastily
'The policy of prohibition was not
adopted hastily nor was it foisted
upon the country by puritanical
minority. It was first voted in most
of the states separately and then ma
tionally, because the people had be-
come convinced that the liquor traf-
fic was a social evil of such magni-
tudc that it had to be destroyed.
"Thc 18th amendment was made a
part of the constitution by the rcgu-
lar methods which the founders Of
the republic devised with a view to
making the amendment of the consti-
tuition difficult rather than easy. Yet
this amendment was adopted more
promptly than any other change in
the constitution ever proposed.
1.-THE proposal to modify the Vol
stead act so as to permit the sale of
wines and beer presents insuperablc
tobjections. 1t would make enforce
mcnt more difficult. 1t would in
cvitably mean the return either of
the saloon or something equally un-
desirable.
"Bootlcgging in stronger liquors
wOuld become more mcnacing because
it would tend to operate through the
places where the milder intoxicants
were sold. Moreover, there is no evi.
dencc to justify the contention that
to permit wine and beer would re-
ducc the consumption of ardent
spirits. The teaching Of experience
is to the contrary.
Other Methods Inadequate
methods of control short Of pro.
hibition, such as taxation, regulation
and the governmcntally controlled
systems of some of the Canadian
provinces, Norway and Sweden, have
all proved inadequate to cope with
the evil
"Thc one path Of advance is for al
good citizens personally to observe
the law and to support the great en-
terprisc, born of the idealism of tho
people, Of completely ridding the ma
ton of as demoralizing business as
the liquor traffic has always PROVED
itself to be-"
The committee which had charge
of presenting the report included DR.
/ s. Parkes Cadman Of New York, pre-.
sident of the Council of Churches
DR.. Charles S. MacFarland, genera
! secretary of the Federal Council o.
Churches; Bishop James Cannon Jr.
Methodist Episcopal church south
and DR.. Robert f. Speer of New York
secretary, board of foreign missions
| Presbyterian church.