Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-10
|WETS ORGANIZING
DRY LAW
Associations Opposed to Pro-
hibition Outline Program
for Mass Assault.

Massing for an attack on prohibi-
ton, representatives of various or
CARNATIONS opposed to the eighteenth
amendment and the Volstead act held q
rally last night at the Mayfiower Hotel
and prepared TO draw up q legislative
program and elect delegates from each
organization to present a united front.
closed executive committee meeting
was arranged for this morning.
Aformer United States Senator, Rep
resentattves, writers, educators and
spokesman from the modificationist
groups, in a series Of addresses, called
attention to what they termed the
growing alarm with which prohibition
Is being viewed by the American people
taken to remedy the situation.
Former Senator Bruce Presides.
Last nights meeting, which lasted
until shortly before midnight, was pre-
sided over by former Senator William
Cabell Bruce of Maryland. Representa-
tive Linthicum, Democrat, of MARYLAND.
leader of the wet bloc" in the House
attended the meeting, but was unable
to speak, due to the orders of his
physician.
In spirited address Charles A.
Windle OF Chicago, editor of the Liberal,
warned the drys against destroying pa
tr1otism by destroying liberty.
Representative Mas of Minnesota.
VINO described himself as a total abb
stainer, said the thing that converted
him to the ranks of anti-prohibition-
lists was his experience as a manager of
one OF the great bonding companies in
the Northwest. When prohibition be-
came written into the law, he asserted,
surety rates began to climb and the
companies began to gamble in
crime" and 1t was found that the age
Of criminals, which had remained con-
slant for 100 years around As years,
dropped in five years of prohibition to
20 and 81 years. Andrew Volstead,
whose name is given to the enabling
paigned against him on behalf of his
opponent. Prohibition, he added, is
making us a Nation of hypocrites."
He urged constitutional convention,
with delegates elected on this issue, as
there is virtually no other issue In
America today"
Author Tietsort Submits Views.
Francis j. Tietsort, author, asserted
that trip through the prisons had
convinced him that two-thirds of the
long-term prisoners are young men, who
are victims of prohibition, and some
thing must be done about 1t. He sug-
gested that this might be accomplished
through a national referendum.
A survey of liquor control in other
countries was presented by Mrs. Rheta
Child Dorr, who told the gathering that
the three ways of regulating liquor were
by the saloon, which. she expressed the
hope, has been discarded; by prohibi-
ton, which everywhere but in the
United States and tiny Finland, has
been discarded. and by State control,
through which liquor must be taken out
of politics and not sold for private
profit. The hours of sale should be reg
ulated; different rules should govern
different beverages and education must
be carried on for temperance, Mrs.
Dorr asserted.
Edward A. Alexander of New York
urged the wet groups to sponsor the ma
tional convention plan for modifying
the Constitution by eliminating the
eighteenth amendment. Ratification by
tllree-fourths of the States would ac-
complish this, he explained.
Sees Charter Of Liberties voided.
Representative Schafer, Republican.
of Wisconsin asserted that the eigh-
tenth amendment has changed the
Constitution from a charter Of liber-
ties into a criminal law book. The
farmer, he insisted, finds prohibition
prosperity is myth and a boomerang.
A. j. Hummer declared that the
American people must rid themselves
of this menace to society, referring TO
prihibition, and DR.. j. T. Griffin, New
York educator, said the young were
being imperiled by prohibition, and
urged immediate reform. Miss M.
Louise Gross was introduced as a pi-
oneer worker for modification.
The meeting was arranged by DR..
F. w. Buck of Denver, Colo, of the
Federal DispenSary Tax Reduction
League.