Evening star., 1930-12-09
National Temperance Coun-
Gil in "UnequivocaI" Stand
Against Proposal.
MORALS LEADER FAVORS
"CALLING WET BLUFF"
Mrs. Willebrandt, Explaining
Grape Concentrate Stand, Convinces
Friends She Is Prohibition Ally.

With the great majority OF dry lead
ers opposed, DR.. Clarence True Wilson
today reiterated his advocacy of a ma
tional referendum on prohibition in his
annual report to the Methodist Board of
Temperance, Prohibition and Public
Morals.
In the face Of the opposition, DR.. Will
son told the board, which represents
100000 Methodists, that in his opin-
ion, "the time has come to call the
bluff Of the vets"
Opposition Is "Unequivocal."
At a mass meeting last night, the
National Temperance Council, composed
of spokesmen for various dry groups,
unanimously approved resolutions ex-
pressing 'unequivocal opposition" to
"the submission of any part of this
national constitutional policy to either
a binding or non-binding referendum
which would tend, either directly or In
directly, to weaken or nullify the said
prohibition amendment"
There Is no provision for a referen-
dunn under the Federal Constitution"
the council declared. Having won the
eighteenth amendment, there is no oc-
caston for the dry forces to join in any
movement by referendum or other
process for its repeal"
The recommendations of DR.. Wilson
will be considered tomorrow and the
board will announce Its action on his
report.
Explaining that the board gave its
major emphasis this year to scientific
studies and to educational methods for
reaching young people in the church,
DR.. Wilson said:
I'VE have erected the column of leg
islation," DR.. Wilson added, "but one
column is only half of an arch--we
must now build up great moral
suasion educational campaign that viii
lead to the bringing of American mil
lions to total abstinence and law OBJ
servance."
Organizations Not Committed.
The action Of the National Temper
ance Council In disapproving the refer
endum does not commit any member
organization to opposition, 1t was pointed
out. But 1t was emphasized that the
sentiment Of its members might be
taken as cross-section of the tenn
perance movements view.
The legislative body for a large num-
Der of dry groups-the conference of
organizations supporting the eighteenth
amendment-will meet here tomorrow.
This group Is composed of two dele
gates from each dry organization and
these have authority. Its Legislative
Committee overwhelmingly disapproved
the proposed referendum last Saturday
and announced the subject would be
offered at the conference for full dis
cusSion.
DR.. Wilson, commenting privately on
the opposition voiced to the referen-
dunn, said he did not think the dry
leaders as whole were prepared for
such move. He said that for the
most part they were not wise enough
to see the tragedy in such an action;
to realize that it would put the vets
on the defensive and pin them down
to proposed substitute for the eight
zenith amendment on which the people
might express themselves. This the
vets have never been able to do, DR..
Wilson said, and cannot now agree
upon 1t.
No Rift in Dry Movement.
He emphasized, however, that there
is no rift In the dry movement All
of the groups are agreed on the prin-
ciple and the only difference of opin-
ion is with respect to method. he said.
DR.. Wilson also pledged the Methodist
board to the support of Senator Morris
Sheppard of Texas and his bill to make
the buyer of intoxicating liquor equally
guilty with the seller.
Federation of activity was urged by
DR.. Wilson in his report.
The years work" he said, "has been
as difficult and critical as any year we
have had. One cannot go over the
United States and see the need of great
leadership without being conscious that
it Is missing.
1T is time. as those opposed to pro-
hibltion have gotten together in two
major organizations - the Association
Against the Eighteenth Amendment and
the CrusaderS-that the friends that
sustain the eighteenth amendment and
the Volstead act should be federated for
united action In every State and in the
National Capital"
One embarrassment is that we are
at the critical stage" DR.. Wilson said.
When we were winning every battle,
we ran mutual admiration soci-
ETY.. Now each looks around to blame
the other for lack of unity and victory.
This must be remedied by a united
EFFORT that can corral our scattered
forces"
Protesting against Congressional rep
resentation for unnaturalized foreign
groups. DR.. Wilson said in his report
That there ought to be craftsmanship
Continued on Page Q, Column s.