Evening star., 1927-03-13
:WHEELERISM' TARGET
FOR VETS ONSLAUCHTS
Mild-Mannered Creator of Issue Has Con-
Quoted Impersonal Fight for Anti
Saloon League 81 Years.


presslve looking fellow, Wheeler. He
answers readily. and does not FISH
about for words, but a leading qtIeS-
ton is parried with the ease and res
pose of a veteran duelist, while he
escapes with the effortless twist OF an
eel the most concerted attempts TO pin
him down-provided, OF course. that
being pinned down is not to his besC
advantage. But IL should be renlenf-
bered in all fairness to DIR. Wheeler
that he has little TO hide. II he
squirms IL Is not to free himself from
an ignominious defeat so much as il is
to throw his opponent and come out
/ on top.
1t is surprising to find how many
times he comes out on top. Some
body is yet to get Wheeler. In his
| fund investigating committee one
must scan the record long and
studiously before deciding whether.
Reed or Wheeler won-and this was
a battle where the betting was all on
the side OF the favorite, and Wheeler
wasn't the favorite. -E
Has Been In Fight 81 Years.
He has been anti-salooning for 81
years and he knows his stun. A SEN
Tor at Oberlin College. in Ohio. he
was enlisted In the work OF damming
the river of rum by the founder OF the
Anti'Saloon League. DIR. Howard ~.
Russell. who once described his dis.
covery of Wheeler as follows:
| II very much needed an earnest.
| young college-bred man to help in
the pioneer organization work. Thus
| / described the man to several Ober-
lin college professors: This job calls
for hard uphill work. A league work.
man to succeed must be tactfui, tire.
/ less. optimistic, resourceful. He must
be good speaker. a good mixer, a
| self-sacrifcing fellow who yearns 20.
help the other fellow. Who fills that
bill in the class OF 1S94?' Every
teacher consulted promptly replied,
! Wayne B. Wheeler
| And, from DIR. Russell's account.
one can almost see the professors as
sembling to cheer, What the matter
with Wheeler? He's all rightp' AS
for Mr.. Wheeler-He Got the Job.
Mr.. Wheeler recalls his first cam
paign work. 1t is good example or
what he has been doing ever since
on a larger scale. Two years after
he Joined the ranks OF the Anti
Saloon League that organization de-
cided to go after the scalps of the
members of the Legislature who op-,
posed its first temperance bill. Among
others, John r. Locke, then floor
leader of the lower house of the Leg
islature. was candidate for election.
to the State Senate. He was consid-
cred political power, wet, and his
votes were to come from the counties
OF Madison, Clarke and Champaign
The political leaders laughed at the.
efforts OF the puny Wheeler to defeat
the powerful Locke, so the story
goes. but Wheeler during all of one
Summer rode from one end OF the
counties to the other on a bicycle.
addressing church gatherings and
pleading with the good folk to down
Locke. They did.
First Experience With Hanna.
Wheeler also recounts with relish
his first experience with Mark Hanna.
!, Wheeler was studying law I'm Cleve-
land at the time and he sought an
interview with Senator Hanna in the
interest of the Anti-Saloon League
candidate for the Legislature. Sena.
tor Hanna told him that the incum-
bent, wet. had been agreed upon to,
succeed himself. and that he would
be reelected. Wheeler told Senator
Hanna that he was rnistaken-the,
Anti-Saloon League man would be.
elected. Thereupon Senator Hanna
is said to have laughed as at a good
Joke, and he advised the young lawyer
that You fellows are all right at a,
prayer meeting, but no good at a
caucus" But the Wheeler candidate
somehow won. and thereafter, accortIz
ing to Mr.. Wheeler. Senator Hanna;
Keen politician that he was, set an,
example which since has been fol-
lowed by other keen politicians. He
became perfectly docile.
| Mr. Wheeler came IN
about 10 years ago. when the Anti.
Saloon League found that the time
was ripe to work from the center or
things toward Nationwide prohibition.
He has been here ever since, keeping.
a watchful eye on the dome of the
Capitol and everything that goes on
beneath it. He explains his method:
simply, for it is a simple method, the
success OF which is fully attested by,
results.
If the Anti-Saloon League decides on.
a method Of tightening the enforce
ment of prohibition, the bill is writ.
ten-and Mr.. Wheeler admits without
equivocation that he has written or
helped to write many of them. The
sponsors for the measure in Congress-
are chosen and the highly efficient
machinery of the Anti.Saloon League
is set in motion. The bill, with ex.'
pianatory literature, is sent broadcast,
throughout the Nation. The legislation
Is given publicity in the daily press
and in the religious press, while
speakers of the Anti-Saloon Leagues
explain Its merits. Mr.. Wheeler does
much travelling himself, but the most
important part OF his work Is corral.
ling the doubtful congressman on. the
HILL This he does by personal inter.
views.
Letters From Back Home. .-s-
But, Doctor some of them NAV.
object, according to Mr.. Wheeler. cit
seems to me that Nyou are going a
little too far here. If it's a case of no
liquor, no wine, no beer, I'm with
you. But don't you think You are
going little out of your line? What's
this bill got to do with prohibdtion?'
Then, says Mr.. Wheeler. If the Con-
gresham is not impressed with thS'
truth or what he Is told, he is apt to-
be very much impressed with the let
ters which begin to reach him from
his constituents back home. These
constituents, in the meanwhile, have
been studying the Anti-Saloon League
literature; they have been hearing the
meaning of the proposed legislation
explained to them either by their pas
tors or by speakers OF the Anti-Saloon
League. The truth, says Mr.. Wheeler,
IS easy TO Understand and is convinc-
Ing In itself. The measures OF the
Anti-Saloon League. he believes, are
backed by the truth. The Congress-.
man. receiving flood OF letters from
the folks back home, votes according
ly. And there you have 1t. ~.
If. as is, often charged but never.
proved, the Anti-Saloon League ex@
] presses the will of an organized nil
nority, it is a well organized minority.
L IQRtfsr 49,
zation would function without its
dominating fis,ure-Wheeler Ha Is