The Washington times., 1931-10-16
True to Type
CHILDREN DIMES
TO FINANCE
THE DRYS
Nv GILBERT SELDES-

the common sense political skill and business acumen
while the hard-headed liquor interests acted like
American diplomats at peace conference? It is true
that since prohibition became officially accepted
legend in America the positions have occasionally been
reversed power went to the heads of the drys and
they have made egregious Yet in while
the tactics of the two opposing parties show that the
believers in drinking haven't yet caught up with the
disbelevers in skill and guile.
Candy From Babies
The latest very sinister and entirely typical of
the prohiboniss is scheme to enlist the young; the
details are vague, but gather that young America
will be- permitted to contribute dime (the tenth part
of dollar) to the Cause, and will receive in exchange
q button q card something 1t looks innocent;
everything the temperance workers did in the 1905
also looked innocent, but full of crafness 1t is
simple idea; to many people it is offensive idea,
because it obviously is bringing pressure the inn
mature, who haven't the mental equipment to resist
unfair tactics. Yet, politically speaking it is sound; it
Is far-sghted; it raises a bulwark against the
disruptions of the future. Why do the vets
think Of anything as simple as that?
A Lesson From the Past
The history of prohibition has been written enough
times but doubt whether it has been studied. The
movement had two three phases which needn't be
detailed. Only important change has to be noted
when temperance changed to prohibition the
ment turned from morals to business And it only
after prohibition became business that began to
conquer Yet for thirty years the who knew bust
ness the brewers and dstiers and the bankers who
financed them not only failed to meet the change in
tactics actually did not recognize it.
They still thought of the attack as moral exercise
indulsed in by some Middle Western middle aged women
who pinned ribbons roundaced little children and sent
petitions to Congress. They had the Republican
Party down to it's first defeat since the Civil War
and furousy accused Frances Willard and her w. c. T.
Uof breaking the solidarity of the North of attack
ing the party which had high moral ideals; but they
did not know that the movement against the saloon had
entered politics to stay, had become economic and
soca force They kept believing that the temperance
workers wanted to reform few drinkers; and all the
. time the Anti-Saoon League was attacking not the
drinker, but the drink.
How to Repeal
believe that Frances Willard was next to Mark Hanna
the able politician of her time and that the
Of the AntSaoon League by far the most skllfu
propagandists of century ncluding the years.
But they might have failed if it had not been for
the blindness of the brewers Officially we have no more
brewers but the anti-drys still myopic. Some of
them want notification, some repeal some revision few
of them willing to face the obvious fact that they
have to meet pressure with pressure. .-.
They know perfectly that the Congressman who voted
for the amendment aren't particularly enthusiastic about
it. they know that vote will be recorded against the
amendment until Senators certain that they will not
lose their seats if they vote wet All that necessary
then Ito give guarantees to politicians in other
words win wet voters Instead of this nearly sll the
drinking interests proving that prohibition doesn't
work. that shoot innocent bystanders or
that the Scandinavian countries are happier with liquor
than without.
Meanwhile the prohbtionsts, who apparently intend
to keep fighting for time to come, are getting
somehow
beer would not put men to work up grain; they
have suggested that if the brewees resumed and
took on men, the makers of soft drinks would have to
shut up shop The idea that beer drinkers drink
ing soda or in fact anything but beer) is silly but it
is only silly to the drinkers and the drys are appealing
to children
Movie Madness
The movies are going mad. am haupv to report
and are making money out of their unacies. Twice
last week in New York went to see films at late
showngs and both times leaving the theaters at mid
night saw crowds still streaming in for the final show
One "Get-Rch Quick Waingford, in which
Jimmie Durante is featured Che ought to be starred
aoon), and the other is Monkey Business with the
Marx brothers. The two not to be compared, be-
the first has plot and love story to consider
and the second has only to make endless opportunities
for the mad brothers. but both are further steps in
the breakdown of moving picture habits.
Durante is the triumph of personality. The ex
cited haste with which he moves, the spluttering
speech the enormous kindly grim the terrific activity
oil out of the night clubs and suffer not at all
the is surprising that whereas he lost at least
quarter of his hold the stage, he preserves all his
quality when filmed The stuff he has to do moder