The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-07-02
....TAE CRIME
A0AlN(T TEMPERANCE
O\/J AMES a. REED FORMER
O/ V. s. SENATOR FROM r1IssoYSl~ ]

ruined than to give up their pro-
fessional meddling.
They shell the woods with their
speakers. They prey upon the emo
tons of the people. They have
small following of fanatics. A few
hundred such fanatical votes in a
congressional district may be all
that is needed to determine and to
hold the balance of power.
They are shrewd, keen politicians.
They know that less than so per
cent of the people vote in primary
elections and they take advantage
of it. A Wayne Wheeler explained
it, about 48 per cent of the people
vote in primary elections. There are
often two or three candidates for
nomination in each congressional
district.
In close districts the party vote
is rather equally divided. The Dem
ocrats may cast "a per cent of the
vote and the Republicans Is per
cent in a primary election. Spread
this vote out among several candi-
dates, and the few hundred votes
of the intolerant drys will nominate.
Voters have been Indifferent, and
have permitted this small group to
control in enough instances to
frighten enough members Of con-
gress to prevent a repeal or modi-
fication of the law.
n
NERY few prohibition articles
' appearing in newspapers or
magazines are free from the con-
tamination of cry propaganda.
Wheeler reported To the league that
he had scores of articles printed
in magazines, unGer the names of
Well-known citizens, and that later
he put these articles in the hands
of weakened congressman just in
time to prevent them from desert
ing the divine cause, and going body,
boots and baggage over to the devil
ish vets.
These articles had another value
in addition to strengthening the
knees of wavering congressman.
They were sponsored by others and
that enabled Wheeler to credit his
own propaganda to eminent citizens.
Even the public schools have been
invaded. The department of edu-
cation of Nebraska recently has is
sued course of instructions IN
alcohol for use in the high schools
and colleges of the state. Much of
the text of this book is bodily Anti
Saloon League propaganda.
Nobody objects to teaching tenn
perance in the public schools. 1t
should be taught. But the course
should be based on facts, and not
on the propaganda of professional
prohibition organizations.
A FEW weeks before the close of
"A the World war, when the
Anti-Saloon Leagues campaign to
force the ratification of the eight
zenith amendment was in full swing,
Wheeler stated that the league had
$4,000 speakers in the f1eld-not in
the field of battle in France, but
in the field of professional propa-
ganda in the United States.
Upon these veterans of intolerant
reform, upon this legion of virtue
by compulSion, upon all these SOL
diers of the propaganda, who EN-
dured the hardships of warfare
5000 miles beyond the lines, the
Anti-Saloon League has conferred
its official order of merit.
The Anti-Saloon League leaders
know thoroughly that without the
war and without its confusion,
which they impiously characterize
as divine, the thing could not have
been put over at all.
BY trickery and deception, by ap-
pealing to the war passions of a
distracted people, the divine" pro-
hibition cause moved on in victory
and glory, to plunge this nation into
the ignominy of crime and shame
less corruption.
Copyright. 1880, by James A. Reed. Dis
Former Senator Reed next will
discuss prohibition, the Alcoholic
Educator"
/