Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-05
WET" EPISCOPAL
POLICY IS DOUBTED
ChaIIengers BeIittIe Following
of Temperance Body.
Probe Urged.
By the Associated Press.

NEW YORK. February 5.-The
newly announced policy of the Church
Temperance Society of the Episcopal
Church favorinG modification of. the
Nolstead act and legaliZation of light
wines and beer has brought a violent
storm of opposition and defense
throughout the United States.
Prohibition leaders, Episcopalian
organizations and individual clergy
men have challenged the Statement.
of the Rev. DR.. James Empringham.
national secreary of the society, who
in announcing the new policy, as
serted that the Nolstead act had
failed.
the society. the challenSers main
tain. has no authority to speak for
the Episcopal Church, is relatively
uuimportant and is in error i'll its re-
versal of policy. Even members of
the organization itself have been
taken aback by The announcement.
The board of directors Will call a
meeting soon TO consider the situa-
ton
Stands BY His Guns
Defenders of DR.. Empringham. in
Guiding several church dignitaries.
assert that his conclusions after
years investigation are correct. DIR.
EmprinGham stands by his guns and
reiterates that a poll of 10000 MEM
bers of the society showed a pre-
ponderance In favor of modification
of the law.
The issue was debated last night
by radio from Washington by Senator
Edge. Republican, New Jersey. and
Senator Dill. Democrat, Washington.
Edge characterized the Nolstead act
pendous expense" to taxpayers. Dill
temperance, cited figures to show
deaths from alcoholism were on the
wane and praised prohibition as aid
ing the prosperity of the country.
Statements issued in New York
say that the Women's Christian
Temperance Union, the Christian En-
deavor Society. the Anti-Saloon
League and the World League Against
Alcoholism are not convinced that the
announcement represents the senti-
ments of the church temperance So
ciety itself, let alone the Episcopal
Church.
Sees Reversal of Policy.
DIR. Empringham admits his tele.
phone has been kept busy by bishops
and others who disapproved his an
nouncement. He minimized most of
the protests, saying they were largely
from members who had not paid their
dues in the society for years.
DR.. Empringham has no right to
speak for the Episcopal Church in
any way. says the Rev. Charles X.
Gilbert executive secretary of the
Social Service Commission of the
Protestant Episcopal diocese of New
York. Canon William Sheafe Chase
of Brooklyn, member of the board
of directors of the church temper
ance society, has asked for a meeting
of the board to consider this reversal
of policy of the society
Two vice presidents of the society,
Bishop S. NJ Griswold of Chicago and
Bishop Reginald Weller Of Fond du
Lac, Wis. are in disagreement with
DIR. Empringham's statement. Bishop
Griswold said he would be distressed
beyond measure If he thought the
eighteenth amendment was in danger
of repeal. Bishop Weller expressed
the belief that the prohibition law was
doing better now.
Laud's Empringham's Stand.
A. d. Plamondon, head of the Ma
tional Association Opposed to Prohi-
bition. on the other hand. lauded Dr.
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