Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-25
MOVE TO |MPEACH
PRESIDENT DENIED
Anti-SaIoon League Says 1t
Never Contemplated Any
Such Action.

The Anti.Saloon League in a state
ment issued here last night declared
newspaper headline statements indi-
eating that the league ever had in
mind or attempted to start any move
ment toward impeachment of the Pres
tdent Of the United States are as ride
ulous as they are false"
No specific newspaper was named
although the New York American has
published a series of articles with
which the statement largely deals.
The American on July 10 said pro-
posal to issue a proclamation charging
President Coolidge publicly with mis-
feasance and malfeasance in office was
debated and voted upon by the eXecu-
tive committee of the league in Chi
cago, November 8, 1925, and was de-
feated by 4 to 5.
THE league properly recognizes
that the President of the United States
is the chief law enforcement official
of the Government under the specific
provision of the Constitution and that
he is the official to whom appeals for
adequate enforcement of any Federal
law should be made" the statement
said. The record of the league in this
matter speaks for itself.
Effort to Dominate Denied.
"The Anti-Saloon League has never
attempted in any secret way or in any
way to dominate constitutional gov
eminent III Washington or elsewhere.
The league operates under and in con-
formty with constitutional govern
ment, while the organized liquor Oppo-
Sition seeks to nullify and destroy con
stitutional government"
Apparently referring to one of the
Americans articles, which said the
league was threatened with a govern
mental investigation in 1919 for alleged
misuse of $4,000 Federal money by
Rev. f. c. Dinwiddie, the leagues
legislative superintendent, which had
been appropriated for the expenses of
the International Congress Against AL
eohol. the statement said:
THE suggestion that the Anti
Saloon League OF an official or en-
ploye of the league improperly used
Government funds or that he or the
league reimbursed the Government to
the extent of $40, 200 is not only false,
but Is an illustration of the lengths to
which the enemies of prohibition will
go to discredit the league. The
minutes of the executive committee
show that when 1t was alleged to the
committee that such funds had been
spent unnecessarily and that the
league might possibly have benefited
by the services of those paid by the
Government for other work, the eX-
ecutive committee took prompt action
condemning any such procedure and
directing that any expenditures shown
to be improper should be made good.
Government Records Cited.
''The records of the State and Treas
ury Departments at Washington will
show that all the expenditures from
these funds were approved by the
proper Government officials, and that
neither DIR. Dinwiddie nor the league
either directly or indirectly ever paid
over to the Government or was asked
to pay a single dollar for any such
purpose; and, Furthermore, DIR. Din
widdie was one of three chosen by the
Department of State to act for it in
the entertainment Of the international
Congress Against Alcoholism later
when that congress was held, and that
he and the other two chosen had full
charge of the expenditure of funds
appropriated by the Government for
the entertainment of that congress,
and all the expenditures were fully
approved by the Government"
The records Of the league ALSO will
slow that DIR. Dinwiddie was under
no cloud of misconduct when he re-
signed from the league" the state
ment continued.
Declaring that as in the case of
most organized movements the
league has had its own inside fam
lily problems TO deal with, the state
ment said that if any official or EN-
ploye of the league at any time has
f,1,r1 IN
been done without the authority or
consent of the league, and in direct
disobedience and disloyalty to the
leagues strict rules of conduct and
well known policy. THE record of
the league, it is said, would stand
comparison even with church bodies.
I'm the eyes of the wets," it con-
tinued, 1.-The objectionable offense of
the league is it's continuous defeat
of the apologist of the brewer and
the old-time saloon"
Dry Methods Outlined.
The statement declared every con-
ceivable scheme" had been employed
to shake public confidence in the Or
ganization; that private detectives
had trailed league officials, and that
league Offices had been broken into
and their files pillaged, but that the
league had mo fear of pitiless pub
licity as to facts"
determination of the beverage liquor
traffic was given as the leagues OBJ
ject. Methods outlined were:
First. To give to it's constituency
and TO the general public accurate in
formation concerning the nature and
effect Of beverage alcohol, the char
acter and activities of the liquor in
terests, the operation and benefits of
the prohibition laws and the various
methods Of dealing with the whole
problem.
Second. To help. through proper
channels and methods, to secure legis-
lation that will accomplish the speed
lest possible elimination of the traffic
In beverage alcohol.
Third. TO inform the public as to
the record and attitude on the liquor
question of public officials and of can
didates for elective public office who
have to do with the enactment of anti
liquor legislation and with the enforce
ment of the law, and to work for the
election of satisfactory candidates.
Fourth. To endeavor in every
proper way to secure the selection of
appointiye officers charged with the
enforcement of the prohibition law
who will execute that law. and TO OPP
pose the appointment OF any other
class"
The statement was drawn up in De.
troit, and bore these signatures:
Bishop Thomas Nicholson. president
Arthur j. Barton. Bishop James Can