Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-14

making beer and Notwithstanding the
fact that the local representatives OF
!, the Department of Justice turned loose
all Of the men caught at the Griesedieck
brewery on two separate trials.
Write to President Coolidge today,
demanding an investigation OF the
prosecution against Nations and pro-
testing against the trial of Nations.
well-known editor, dry leader and law
enforcement advocate in wet st. Louis,
on the testimony of interested bootleg
gers and brewers seeking immunity,
whom Nations has raided.
mo favoritism is desired. All the ad-
vocates of law enforcement want 10
prevent unjust and prejudiced action
taken in the name of law enforcement
by bootleggers and chronic lawbreakers
under the guise Of witnesses for the
Government and patriotic aids to the
Department of Justice. If bootleggers
are framing to railroad dry leaders UNI
der guise Of prosecution, the facts should
be known before 1t is too late.
Write it today. Mail it today. The
time is short.
"Please-please-Wo you please
phone five of your friends today and
urge them to do Hkewise?"
Sincerely yours.
"A. H. POST"
Political ShOafs.
Some of these fell into the hands Of
prospective Jurors. In addition to that
appeal, the league drew up mimeo-
graphed brief, entitled Statement OF
Facts Concerning Nations Case ana
Law Enforcement, by A. H. Post, super
intendent, Missouri Anti-Saloon League"
It seems unbelievable that an organi-
zation pledged to secure and obey law
would resort to such tactics to prevent
one of their members from facing trial
and thus testing in an orderly and con-
stitutional way the truth of the charges
against him. It was obstruction OF JUS
tice, bordering closely on contempt OF
court, and condemn it as quickly and
resist it as vigorously as when bootleg
gers friends attempt the same interfer-
ence with trials by different means.
Recently we have witnessed much at
invisible government and political OPP
pressor. In fairness. I must say that
the leagues resort to tactics such as in
the Nations case Is conspicuous by its
rarity.
Wayne Wheeler was an able lawyer.
He was a determined, politically astute
man. ! always believe he guided the
league into dangerous shoals by too
much political activity. Early in my
tenure he offered to help me II I
wanted to secure appointments, and II,
him know of matters officially under
consideration here. The latter, of
| course, could never do. Consequently
my relations with the Washington office
of the Anti-Saloon League remained dis
! tant, but were always cordial.
The real, undying spirit which I do
, sense among the leagues membership
| as a benef1cient force in civic life is
represented by the non-political, quieter
approach to the liquor problem by such
men as DR.. Cherrington. The league
! will hold its place just In proportion as
1t relinquiSheS any disposition to name
appointees and develops disposition to
continual civic education on temperance
and law observance.
No Dry Votes for VETS.
That is the reason for the continued
influence of the Womans Christian
Temperance Union. Their conservation
Is sincere, unwavering and utterly I'M
| for carousing public official solely be-
| cause he voted for dry law.
In my judgment the Anti-Saloon
Leagues political activity is one of sew
eral contributory causes to q very re-
pulsive modern phase of public life. I
refer to the political hypocrisy of drink
ing "drys." The league, I believe, would
be stronger today had it been more re-
luctant to indorse a man who would
| compromise his courage and honest con-
victlonS just to vote dry while dealing
blows in the back of the eighteenth
amendment.
I look forward to the time when the
powerful devotion to the cause of pro-
hibit1on represented in the organization
known as the Anti-Saloon League will
become again virile civic force to
teach temperance and obedience to law.
This will, of course, indirectly affect
political results, but the approach will
be educative and informative rather
than political.
Backsliders Among the Drys.
After the supreme effort put forth by
consecrated drys, with the Anti-Saloon
League largely acting as shock troops,
to secure the eighteenth amendment.
developed rocking -chairitis." They
have leaned back in complacent enjoy
ment Of the great victory the eighteenth
amendment represents to them.
The eighteenth amendment is not
nearly so much a victory as 1t Is
challenge. One reason for the slough
of deSpond many serious minded citi-
zenS ma themselves In over the
eighteenth neutrality-suspicious. who
were at first enthusiastic about its
because there has been a cessation of
quiet, steady, forceful education on the
value of temperance, community by
community, throughout the country,
which the dry-thinking, dry-living and
dry-voting people maintained before the
eighteenth amendment was secured.
They should never have stopped 1t
for a moment. The lull in their efforts
along this line in the past five years.
particularly, has given great advan-
tage to those conducting organized OPP
position to prohibition. The opportunity
before the Anti-Saloon League and its
challenge is to get out of rocking chairs
and roll up their sleeves, State by State,
county by county, and community by
community, and revive interest in the
desirability and economic advantage of
abstinence and the civic obligation OF
law observance.
(Copyright, 1929 by Current News Features,
Ipc.)
In the next installment Mrs. Willebrandt
tolls 0f washin0tOn'S wet drVS