Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-16
YOUTH EDUCATION
ON LIQUOR URGED
Southern Baptists Consider
Divorce, Labor Problems
and LynChing.
~ the Associated Press.

ny the Associated Press.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. May 16.-"Re-
education" Of young Baptists in the
South as to the evil effects of intern
perance" is one Of the major detectives
of the churches composing the South
ern Baptist Convention.
The re-education" program was
voted unanimously by the convention
in assembly here last night at the sug-
gestion of committee of the Georgia
delegation.
Methods Of education" include the
Sunday schools. Baptist publications
and special sessions of State and dis
trict conventions to give the "funda-
mental facts as to the injury that comes
from the use of strong drink and also
e history of It's deadly course"
The convention entered the conclud-
ing session of It's assembly today with
the report of it's social service board.
The board described prohibition as the
paramount problem before the Nation,
deplored the growing divorce evil' and
advocated working day Of not more
than nine hours. or a working week Of
not more than 49l2 hours.
In a report to the annual assembly
of the convention here. the board up
held the activity of churchmen in be-
half of prohibition, stating that "thc
fact that a moral question or matter
may become civic does not lessen its
moral quality nor diminish the right of
free citizens freely TO express them
selves on such questions or matter"
The big battle in the whole field Of
social service and civic affairs is still
being fought out on the prohibition
sector" the report said. I'VE cannot,
we need not, go into details, Our ap-
peal is for action, for defense, for at
tack.
Prohibition ought not to be a party
issue in the next presidential campaign.
If it shall become an issue it will be be-
cause of short-sighted and reckless party
leadership, and the party which
espouses the interests and cause of
liquor will be counting its own doom"
Divorce Laws Shameful"
The report pointed to the growing
divorce evil" and declared legislation
passed the past year making divorces
easy to obtain was perhaps the most
shamful and humiliating development
concerning divorce in the history of the
country
On industrial relations. the report
urged recognition of the right of labor
to organize and engage in collective
day Of not more than nine hours.
Mob violence was reported to have
increased from 10 lynchings in 1928 to
18 last year "Lynchings must be pre-
vented" the report said. and facts
show that they can be prevented by the
right kind of conviction"
In connection with conditions in gen.
-
tee reported that the seriousness of the
present situation is indicated in the
fact that notification of the Constitu-
ton is being preached openly and
frankly in some quarters"
resolution calling upon the Soviet gov
eminent to fully recognize and cheer
fully accord to all her citizens and subjects
the indefeassble rights Of conscience in
all matters of religion" was presented
the Southern Baptist convention yester-
State Baptist convention 1t read in
part:
IF it be said by the Soviet govern
nent that there is no God. our reply IS
that such declaration does violence to
the elf-consciousness of the human
mind and heart which abundantly teS-
titles TO the human spirit that there
is a Supreme Being.
"Au just human laws and government
must be based on this elemental truth
. human governments have no
rights whatever in the matter of con-
science. No earthly government has any
right to require its citizens or subjects
to be religious or to stop them from re-
Igious convictions and activities.
Five new members of the Convention
Executive Committee were named as
follows: Perry Webb, Pine Bluff, Ark;
N. NJ. Simmcnds, Washington, D. c.;
H. NJ. King, Jackson, Miss. J. Powell
Tucker. Raleigh. N c.. and Charles S.
Henderson. Greenville, Miss.
Five cities, Memphis. Kansas City.
st. Petersburg, Fla; Columbia, s. c.,
and Richmond, Va, bid for the 1882
convention