Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-10
HOWELL CARRIES,
MEASURE TO DRYS
Temperance Conference
Asked to Approve D. C.
Enforcement Bill.

A recommendation that the rigid
Howell bill for prohibition enforcement
in the District OF Columbia be approved
was under dsbate In the National Con-
ference of Organizations Supporting the
Eighteenth Amendment this afternoon.
Senator Howell conferred with mem
bers Of the Executive Committee today
and his bill was added to the agenda
of the conference.
The conference. composed of delegates
from all the larger dry organizations,
adopted the Legislative Committees re-
port urging retention in the Treasury
Department appropriation bill of two
items of $40 900 each for education work
in connection with alcohol and narcotics
control.
The two items were struck from the
bill last Friday in the House on motion
Of Representative Blanton. Democrat,
of Texas Blanton made a point Of
order on the items.
Receive Law Proposals.
The dry leaders received from the
Legislative Committee proposals that it
approve six pending bills for the ex-
petition of trial procedure. including
four administration measures.
These bills were: To give United
States commissioners Jurisdiction over
petty offenders; TO define petty offenses
in the criminal code; to define petty
ofenses under the national prohibition
act; TO permit the defendant to waive
a jury trial in certain offenSes: the ad-
ministration bill to accomplish a uni
fed border patrol. and the Howell bill.
Mrs. Ella Boole, president of the
Women's Christian Temperance Union
and president Of the conference, pre-
sided. Thirty-two dry organizations were
represented.
These leaders also were to consider a
resolution proposing that the conference
oppose any resolution for referenda on
prohloltlon unauthorized, unconstitu-
tional, and unprecedented"
Opposed to Mobilization.
The agenda Of the conference agreed
upon this morning also included the
general proposal to record the confer
ence as opposed TO all bills which would
modify or weaken the prohibition act.
Two groups were admitted to the con-
Terence, the World League Against Al
coholism, of which DIR. Ernest Cher
r1ngton OF Washington is president, and
prohibition Fact, Inc, headed by Will
liam C. Calderwood of Indianapolis.
-Four of the bills, which it was rec
commended the conference approve for
expedition Of trial procedure, were rec
| commended in the first two reports of
the Wickersham Commission Debate
on these proposals continued this after
noon.
Oppose Referendum.
The Methodist Board OF Temperance
Prohibition and Public Morals late yes
terday formally declared against a ref
erendum. After a lengthy discussion,
the board adopted resolutions stating
that it "joins with the allied dry forces
OF the Nation in accordance with the
action taken by them in opposing a ref
erendum on or submission of the
eighteenth amendment. We favor the
coordination of all the dry forces of the
country"
This action was taken after the board
adopted the report Of the general Sec
rotary, DR.. Clarence True Wilson. in
which he expressed the opinion that
the time has come to call the bluff of
the wet propagandists by saying, If
you want a real referendum, we will
meet you half way"
Board members said later that the
referendum proposal appealed to them
as AN excellent piece of strategy" but
that as board they were not willing
TO presume to dictate a policy that
could not be carried out without the
cooperation OF united temperance
movement.
The board challenged the anti-prohi-
bltion forces to present definite
statement of purpose and policy
The vets have attempted to de-
stroy prohibition by obstructing its adj
mlnlstration, by defiance of it, by in
orect use of criminals, by the Incl
dental causation of murder, by re-
slstance to government" the. board
members said. The opponents of pro-
hibtion should keep The country no
longer in the dark. On what do they
agree?"
Demand Assurance of Obedience.
we commend and reinforce the de-
mand OF the general secretary" they
! asserted, that the vets state TO the
American people what they propose as
a substitute for the eighteenth amend
ment, and in demanding that they first
give assurance guarantees OF obedience
to the law before entertaining any
other proposition"
DR.. Wilson proposed the resolution,
and agreed to the board withdrawing
from any effort to bring about a refer
endum. From the outset, he said the
referendum idea appealed to him as too
good to let pass unnoticed His chief
thought, he said, was to make sure
that 1t was seriously considered by the
| leaders.
The Board of Tenonerance adonted
resolutions commencing Attorney Gen
eral Mitchell for declaring that "the ad-
mlnlstration of the prohibition law
should be wholly in the hands of those
convinced Of the principle and the
policy and expressed entire confidence
in his purpose and ability to carry out
the heavy duties laid upon him.