Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-24
Members in Debate Call on
Organization to Take Lead
in Fight for Change in Pro-
hibition Act.
ISSUE is UP FIRST TIME
IN 10 YEARS. HISTORY
O'Neil, Backing Procedure, Thinks
Other More Important Matters
Should Have Been Considered.
Shouts of 1--WE Want Beerm Are
Heard Before Discussion.

DETROIT, September "a Up.
THE American Legion Nation
al Convention today rejected
resolution indorsing the i'm
mediate payment of bonus GER
tifcate at face value.
BY the Associated Press
DETROIT, September 24.-The
American Legion National Con-
vention today asked Congress to
submit repeal or modification of
the present prohibition laws to the
States, with the request that each
State submit the issue to its voters
The vote was 1908 TO 394.
The vote came after debate in
which advocates of the resolution de-
nounced conditions under prohibition
and asked the Legion to assume lead
ership In the fight to seek Q change
through referendum.
The opposition argued that the
Legion should take no stand.
It was the first time prohibition
came before the Legioh's national con-
vention in its Is years of history.
Attack en- Resolution Fails.
An effort to have the issue thrown
OF the floor under q ruling that 1t is
political and outside OF the constitu-
tional scope Of the Legion's activities
failed, Comdr. Ralph T. O'Nei1l de-
ciined to follow the precedent set last
year by o. L. Bodenhamer.
The text Of the resolution adopted by
the Legion follows:
Whereas, the eighteenth amendment
of the Constitution of the United States
has created condition endangering
respect for law and the security OF
American institutions therefore, be it
resolved, that the American Legion in
this thirteenth annual convention as-
sembled favors the submission By the
Congress of the repeal or modification
of the present prohibition laws to the
several States. with request thai each
State submit this question to the voters
thereof"
Puts Other work First.
While saying that personally he be-
lieved there are many much more i'm
portant matters which should properly
occupy our time the commander ruled
there was no doubt but that the reso-
luton had been properly presented"
The commander previously had stated
that much of the conventions work,
which had moved smoothly because of
general agreement, had been lost in the
published accounts of the convention.
In making his ruling on the point of
order, O'Neil expressed grave doubt"
of the desirabiifty Of taking up this
subject toethe possible prejudice Of our
organization and its efforts toward at
tanning our major detectives"
The convention went on record as
favcring reorganization of the Council
of National Defense, which was used
just before and during the World War
The resolution adopted by the Legion
respectfully requests the President to
make use of this existing instrumental
ity. which has already proved its ef1i-
cheney by actual operation and to direct
Its attention TO the consideration of the
fundamental causes responsible for the
existence OF the present emergency and
Of the means to be adopted for their
amelioration, both for the present and
the future"
Loud Demonstration.
The referendum resolution, read by
DR.. Neil ID. williams of Missouri, chair
mar of the Resolutions Committee was
received with a loud demonstration, in
which we're mingled cries Of I'VE want
beerp
Reversing the rulings Of command
ers Of other years, Copfdr. O'Neil ruled
that the issue could properly come be-
fore the convention. He made the rul-
ing as point of order was raised. in
which It was maintained that the issue
was political.
A minority report of the Resolutions
COMMITTEES which declared that the Le-
gion should not take a stand on the
prohibition question was read by Lloyd
Kahn Of Nebraska ana received an I'M
friendly demonstration.
scott w. Lucas Of Havana, ILL.,, who
resigned recently as national judge adj
vocate Of the Legion to become q
candidate for United States Senator
fCorfin1,ed m pace q Column A.