The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-04-20
SAYS CHARGES
AREAMANDER
UPON AMERICA
Social Conditions Greatly I'm.
proved Since Prohibition,
Says DR.. Wilson

washington, April 2O.-(P)-"It is
nothing less than a SANDER upon
Amcrica--a SANDER which wet propa-
Eandists arc sending around the world
to say that America is tcrrorixcd
with criminals" DR.. Clarence True
wilson, general secretary of the
board Of Temperance, Prohibition and
iublic Morals. Of the Methodist Epis-
copal church. declared today before
inc senate liquor committee.
SANDER ten thousand times
worse" he added, sis the frequent ass
scrtlon that American girls and wom-
en- are drunken and dcbauchcd be-
cause Of conditions existing under
prohibition.
Our ministers find in their vista
IONS to the homes Of the people that
prohibition has produced infinite
benefits in the improved moral tone
or young people. We deny cmphati-
calIy that the young people are con
sumlng liquor in quantities or that
they arc being morally dcpravcd BY
the operation Of the prohibition law.
There is drinking among young
people. Of course. but it is very much
less frequent than when open saloons
beckoncd an invitation from every
corner"
Statements Rcfutcd
DR.. Wilson. who said his board is
an official agency Of a church with a
constituency of l5,OOO.OOO people.
presented an array Of official figure s.
to refutc statements Of the vets to
the committee that arrests for drunk
cnness are increasing. that crime
among the young is on the advance
and that the moral welfare Of the
people is on the downgrade.
"Thc passing of the saloon has been
nothing less than redemption Of the
average American community" Dr..
Wilson declared.
"A new freedom has come to the
American housewife with prohibition.
Recrcational and cultural facilities
which were practically unknown when
the American people were paying
tribute Of billions to the licensed
liquor trade are now to be found
in every home.
"The sale Of musical instruments
and monographs has increased ire
mendously and the radio has be-
come commonplace. Much Of this
business is built upon the installment
plan. But we believe that the cnor-
nous installmcnt business Of today
would be impossible if the drink
traffic were licensed.
Children Better Cared For
/"Our ministers report that the
children Of the country are
much better clothed than in
former years and we believe to
this fact is directly due the great
.yp 4
out the nation.
mo matter where one tests the
federal figures relating to the social
conditions Of the people. we find the
outstanding fact that they are cnor-
and to considerable extent this M
proycment was sudden with the COM
ing Of the prohibition law
Turning to the claim Of the vets
that prohibition has brought wave Of
bootlcgging and blind pigging, DR..
Wilson said, I'VE have bootlcgging5
and blind plugging today and we had
it before prohibition"
To support his contention,
he declared an investigation
made by his board before
prohibition showed that federal
licenses issued for the sale Of liquors
far exceeded those issued by the
states.
DR.. Wilson told the committee that
it would be doubtful policy, as he
held tho modification bills propose,
to give the brewers monopoly"
"From June, 1921, to August, 1926"
he charged, "728 brewers fell afoul Of /
the law. They have been found to
be the persistent and bitter viola
tors with which the prohibition unit
has had to deal"
"Thc law of the people can ana
will be enforced" DIR. Wilson said in
conclusion. as he made an appeal for
tightening up Of the Volstcad act
in place Of the modification tho vets
have proposed.