The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1931-06-01
WHERE WAS MOSES WHEN THE LIGHT WENT OUT"

ence, will and wisdom necessary to guide
business cannot be elected or appointed.
1t has to gro1D up naturally from the peo-
pie. The process is long and fraught with
human sacrifice, but it is the only one
that can work"
All of which is particularly applicable
to the experiences through which the An
ti-Saloon League of Illinois has been pass
ing, and in which it now finds itself With
the same shouting against leadership, the
demand that some leader be found who
by some hocuS-pocus can relieve the bur-
den of the prohibition law enforcement
and by few magic, passes relieve us of
the task of finding honest officials, and
electing courageous legislators, and train
ing the rising generation to accept and
adhere to the nations best ideals, but as
President Coolidge SO wisely remarks, THE
kind of wisdom necessary to do these de-
sirable things cannot be elected or APP
pointed. 1t has to grow up naturally from
the people. The process is long and fraught
with human sacrifice"
The leadership in the great prohibition
struggle at the present time, if it is to sue
coed, will have to be of the same general
character and follow the same lines as
that which has brought us to the present
position. 1t is time to folIo1O through,
not to follo1U tdngentS
The w. G. T. u and the Anti-Saloon
League through the past thirty-five years
have grown into their present efficiency
and in spite of hostile murmurings which
have always accompanied their activities
in a greater or lesser volume, have re-
tanned their leadership not because they
choose to do so, but because through ex-
perience and years of toll and sacrifice,
they had become capable of doing it.
These are the prices the Anti-Saloon
League has paid for it's present powerful
influence, standing as the chief opponent
of the organized liquor traffic and the one
enemy the iquorites are most eager to
destroy.
Such leadership is not created by draw
ing up an academic plan around a library
table The great, human social equation
cannot be handled like problem in math-
ematics. Some twelve or fifteen years ago
a brilliant plan of this sort was inaugu-
rated with the exceedingly desirable pur-
pose of winning the world It was known
as the "Interchurch World Movement" A
great, nationwide machine was set up
and many workers were employed, but the
world Waged on in its own Wilful way, and
a certain generous multimillionaire paid
over 100000 to liquidate the accumu-
lated indebtedness. For a while the prob
lens of the church were harder than
usual. Afterward it seemed that the
churches we're pursuing about the only
methods that are permanently effective
and they still live and plod on faithfully
and productivity.
The world is not interested in your
dreams, nor your ambitions for leadership.
They are not factors that it can or will
consider. 1t is only interested in 1Utat you
hnDe learned to do for it,
The Anti-Saloon League of Illinois, the
Womans Christian Temperance Union,
and the organized women's clubs are now
cooperating ON the only plan aU7tich 1UilI
really accomplish, in our state aUllnt the
present situation requires. We have inau-
gurated a series of county conventions
and we are putting them through. If we
are allowed to go on with them in the
simple, cooperative methods now employ
ed, we will succeed and do much good If
new machinery from outside is forced
upon us, paralleling our efforts and en-
deavoring to duplicate our work, it will
only increase confusion and reduce values
and achievements proportionately-Fro
superintendent annual report