The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-04-16

CHURCHES
OPEN[RY
FIGHT
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s'eive prohibition a chance was
made TO the committee on behalf
Of the Federal Council of Churches
BY DR.. w. I. Haven, of New York
The council declared the call of
tIae hour Is for church people all
over the country to obey the dry
law and use such moral persua-
SION on their neighbors as to give
the policy of prohibition an ade-
ouate opportunity to demonstrate
its full value to the nation and the
Anv modification. the council
confended, would make "bodtleggtng
more menacing.
"Sfnce the adoption OF the ma
tIonal prohibition act. the federai
council of Churches has continued
to sustain it constantly and with
unf1agging loyalty. =,
eat every annual meeting OF the
executive committee since tnat llI n.ts
this position has been vigorously
maintained.
saThis again was a definite reflec-
ION of the attitude taken by the
various denominations separately
aid the councils report
Liberty Is Price Paid
..No divergent judgment has at
anv time been expressed either By
the Federal Council of Churches or
by any Of its constituent denomina-
tons.
1.-THE support Of National prohibi-
4ion bv the Federal council Oh
churches tests upon four funda-
mental considerations.
. ssFfrst. the belief that in dealing
with gigantic social evils like disease
Of crime, individual liberty must be
controlled in the interest OF public
welfare.
second, the belief that the liquor
traffic IL beyond question such an
evil.
Third, the conviction that no plan
less thoroughgong than prohibition
is sufficient to eradicate the evils OF
the liquor traffic.
Fourth, the evidence of history
that other methods Of attempting to
control the traffic have failed and
that prohibition, despite inadequaces
Of enforcement, is succeeding better
than any other program"
The council declared Limitation
upon individual freedom" is the
price any people must pay for the
progress of civilization"
As a result, it added, the Eight
zenith Amendment was adopted,
more promptly than any other
change in the Constitution ever pro-
posed"
1.-THE reasons which led to proili-
have been reinforced by the expert
ence Of other nations" the council
declared.
1.-THE social peril OF alcoholism is
becoming a growing concern to
statesmen throughout the world.
IF serious evils have sprung nj,
since prohibition they are far less
than the evils which arose from the
liquor traffic prior to the amend.
ment.
The liquor traffic with the accom-.
panying saloon was allied with politi
cal corruption, crime, gambling and
prostitution"
II means the wreckage of men
and the degradation OF families
which social workers and ministers
saw constantly in their daily work
st produced needless inefficiencS
In industry.
The proposal to modify the Vol
stead act so as to permit the sale
OF wines and beer presents in
supertable objections. II would
make enforcement more difficult
sit would inevitably mean the re
turn either Of the saloon or some
thing equally undesirable.
'fBootlegging in stronger liquor.
would become more menacing he
cause II would tend to operate
through the places where the miIdel
intoxicants were sold.
Urges Citizens to Help
The one path of advance is fol
all good citizens personally to OBJ
serve the law and to support tho
great enterprise, born Of the &c al
: ism OF the people, OF completely
Kidding the nation of as demoraliz