The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-09-03
Frank and Significant


That eager advocates of various cities promised the
convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars that
hard LIQUOR would be available without interference
of the law if they would meet with them next year
does not imply that these who have served their
country are either less inclined to want liquor
than delegates to any other convention.
That such promises and pleas were made should
at least arouse little thoughtful interest the
part of those who interested in the question of
temperance as differentiated from sumptuary
morality.
The only difference between the convention of the
veterans and those of other organizations is that the
plea was made openly and publicly from the platform
instead of secretly to leaders who desire that their
delegates have what they may term a good time"
at their annual gatherings
The differences and implications from of
these pleas were more than suggestive. They demand
serious attention.
One CITY, in it's plea to offer hospitality, openly
announced that one of their members is a deputy
sheriff and that everything would be all right for
those who seemed to need stimulant of an illegal
character.
The city of Los Angeles, boasting no longer Of its
climate or It's Hollywood beauties or its perennial
orange blossoms calmly pointed to the nearness Of
Mexico, if the local offerings were too limited
Lawlessness, for it is of course lawless permit
the sale of even one small drink has become
longer a matter of shame but a civic asset when
violation of Volsteadism becomes important in at
tracing conventions.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars have certainly
demonstrated their patriotism. Membership is
fined to those who have defended the honor of the
flag and the sovereignty of the nation in foreign
fields. They have offered their lives in defense Of
national integrity
They would resent any public offer that they come
probably give hasty and military justice to any one
who tried to tempt them to and steal automo-
bies They would lynch man who dared to assert
that they could come and with IMMUNITY ravage
women and girls
Yet they did sit and listen while representative
of Florida city said 1.-THE fleet is busy off shore,
but liquor is more plentiful since it than it
was before"
They did not resent-and probably few other con-
ventions would have resented-the fact that they
were being urged to meet, not in the most law
abiding but in the most lawless city as far as the
enforcement Of prohibition laws is concerned
What would the Ant-Saloon League do about
such a situationP Will it suggest that these MN
and women who listened be jailed as conspirators
to violate the lawP VIII they suggest that the most
effective method Of enforcing law to imprison these
men who have fought for the honor of their country?
To many, who think they think, the situation is
such as to suggest that prohibition is too serious and
too practical question to be left to the field of
politics and that temperance, real temperance is
much more serious that it should receive the careful
consideration of its friends and not be left those
who follow fanatical theories even when they point
clearly to disaster.
And perhaps DR.. shumaker will have plausible
reason to why Indianapolis got this years meeting,
since his friends in charge Of law enforcement.
W. c. Durant is offering $4,000 prize for the
best plan of prohibition enforcement and the enforce
ment men haven't even tried out poison gas yet!