Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-24
CHURCH COUNCIL
DRY REPORT HIT
Officials of M. E. and United
Brethren Bodies Blame
1t for 'Confusion."
By the Associated Press.


eral Council Of Churches Is attacked
as IAN inexcusable betrayal OF many
church bodies" in statement Issued
by high officials of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, Methodist Episco-
pal Church South. the Methodist
Protestant Church and the United
Brethren Church.
The statement said the present
confusion seems to be due i'll large
part" to the federal councils report,
adding: I'VE repudiate 1t as unsclen-
tific In it's methods, unwarranted ana
misleading in it's conclusions. prod
uct of provincialiSm, a striking ex-
ample OF the domination OF local sur
roundings and special conditions"
Attached to the statement were the
signatures of Bishop James Cannon,
jr., chairman Of the Commission on
Temperance and Social Service OF the
Methodist Episcopal Church South:
Bishop William Il. Mcdowell. presi.
dent, and DR.. Clarence True Wilson,
secretary of the board Of temperance,
prohibition and public morals of the
Methodist Episcopal Church; Bishop
w. NJ Bell of the United Brethren
Church and DR.. Thomas II. Lewis,
president of the general conference OF
the Methodist Protestant Church.
Voluntary Organization.
1.-THE report more recently issued
as of and from the Church Temper
ance Society of the Protestant Epis-
Copal Church by DIR. Empringham has
served only to reveal that the Church
Temperance Society is voluntary
organization, stated by bishop OF
that church to be 'semi-moribund,'
that it does not represent the Episco-
pal Church and that. on the contrary,
the clergy and laity of that church
are; in favor Of the maintenance OF
the prohibition law, and the suprem-
acy of the United States authority
over, all anti-social interests in every
part of the country the statement
said. .
There has been no change in the
fidelity to the prohibition law of the
churches which we represent. That
law is, in the words of the President
of the United States, "a salutary law.
The liquor traffic is prohibited solely
upon the grounds Of its evil effect
upon society. The alleged attitude Of
Christ or of Paul toward the use OF
wine in the social condition OF that
day does not justify the claim that
they would approve or even tolerate
the covetous, body and soul destroy
ing liquor traffic of modern times
any more than. the paying by Christ
of tribute money to the Roman OPP
pressors of the Jewish people can be
cited as justifying the oppression Of
small by large nations today. or than
the sending back by Paul Of the
Christian slave. Onesimus. to re-
newed service of his Christian mas
ter, Philemon, can be cited as justi-
flying the selling of men as chattels
in 1926.
Benefits Are Innumerable.
The beneflcent results Of the pro-
hibition law are manifest and in
Vulnerable. Upon it we have built
a new prosperity which has raised
the entire standard of living of the
common people. improved the diet of
the poor. housed the houseless.
clothed the naked. filled our schools
to overflowing, increased the savings
which must serve as the instrument
of enterprise and development, low
cred the death rate and advanced the
moral and religious interest of the
generation.
There is no apparent change in
the sentiment of the people as a
whole toward this law. Wherever
the issue has been Squarely drawn
since national prohibition has been
adopted, outside of the territory sur
rounding New York City. the people
have registered their approval of the
law
we appeal to the people not to he
deceived by the plea for So-called
modification. Modification means
nothing less than destruction of the
prohibition law. 1t means the return
of the liquor traffic, which was o.
per cent a beer traffic. 1t means the
return OF the sa Icons. So per cent of
which We're under brewery control.
or the establishment of Il worse dis
tributlnS agency. Wine and beer
are and have been intoxicating since
the dawn Of history.
Church Responsibility.
There has never been any purpose
on the part of the churches to ignore
the necessity of earnest and compre-
hensive consideration of prohibition
enforcement. Prohibition organiza-
ton should he effected with the su,e
purpose of enforcing the prohibition
law. The appointment. at the in
stance of wet Senators and Isepre-
SentativeS. of wet men to enforce a
dry law is dishonest and disa StrouS.
The churches protest the incumbency
Of men 50 appointed. The policy of
'decentIal iZation. sub iecting appoin-
tees 10 lOcdi pplll lilI1eltrS
is a questionable policy. The time
has come when Christian people must
insist that government be a unity
in support of the prohibition law. that
no wet man be appointed as United
States marshal. commissioner district
attorney or Judge to betray the will
Of the people.
We should insist upon the dis.
continuance Of dishonest and camou.
tagged propaganda. using the medium
of the stage. the humorous press.
syndicated columns and similar
cha nnelS.
There must he clearer under.
standing of the division between Ell
forcement duties Of the State and
municipalities on the ono hard and
of the Nation on the other Local
enforcement by local officials is neces-
sarv and should be insisted upon
in every part of the Nation.
Continuation and extension of the
educational process in the school. the
home and the church is the para
mount need of the hour. This duty
falls largely upon the church, and
upon it's successful discharge depends
the prestige of the law and the safety
of the Nation"
Five woman school teachers in
Philadelphia teach grammar schoo!