The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-06-10
REFORM GROUP
HURLS REBUKE
At ". c. T. u.
of Prohibition Ills
Called Poor Citizenship
by Women's Council.
BY DANIEL NJ. KIDNEY

b1 DANIEL M. KIDNEY
Prohibitionists who persist in
their folly may find themselves be-
yond the pale with the social-eIect
IN Indiana and elsewhere.
Such taboo on ardent drys, who
push their prohibition views into
the most unwelcome places, was
suggested as an avenue for adj
vancement Of the program for re-
peal Of the eighteenth amendment
here Tuesday afternoon.
The occasion was a meeting Of the
Indiana division officers and ad-
visory council Of the Womans Or
ganization for National Prohibition
Reform.
1t was held at the home Of Mrs.
Jacquelin S. Holiday, 1850 West
Forty-second street Mrs. Frederick
M. Alger, chairman Of the Michigan
division, was guest speaker.
True Temperance Keynote
Sixty women, prominent socially
in Indianapolis and the state. were
present and membership drive was
planned.
+. A general meeting is to be held
later at which Mrs. Charles H. Sa-
bin, New York, national chairman,
will speak.
"The temperance" was the key
note Of the meeting-and tea was
served.
In the open forum discussion, fol-
lowing Mrs. Ayers talk, the idea Of
social ostracism for unregenerate
drys was advanced.
For years these w. c. T. u. wom-
en- and their like have sneered at
us because we have not joined in
their cause" one of the women de-
clared.
Nov I suggest that we return the
compliment and on the very grounds
that they have always taken, which
is good citizenship. Surely no good
citizen longer can support prohibi-
ton because in doing so they are
aligning themselves with the boot
leggers and racketeers."
Points to Alcohol Deaths
The latter charge was based on
statistics presented by Mrs. Alger
regarding her home city of Detroit.
While before prohibition i. Detroit
had 1900 licensed saloons they now
have 10000 spoakeasies, she de-
clared.
Taking up the pre-Volsteadian
prohibition arguments point by
point Mrs. Alger presented facts to
show that the reverse Of everything
promised has proven true.
A case in point was the increase
in the alcoholic death rate in 1929
1t being six times that of 1920.
Advocates State Control
In closing her plea to support re-
peal Of national prohibition and
leave control Of liquor to the indi-
vidual states, Mrs. Alger painted a
dire picture Of the moral catastro-
phe the dry era has become for
modern youth.
DR.. F. S. @. Wicks, pastor Of All
Souls Unitarian church, agreed with
this conclusion and declared:
Right here in Indianapolis we
have had a Kirkland case, except
the girl didn't die, and nothing is
to blame but the wrecking of morals
brought about by the excessive
drinking Of bad liquor by young
men and women in these days of
prohibition"
DR.. Wicks said he is leaving short
ly for Scandinavia to study the
Swedish plan of liquor control,
which, he believes, may be the best
answer to the American problem.
Invite New Members
At the close of the meeting men,
bership cards were distributed and
many were signed. No dues are de-
rnanded, and all women interested in
prohibition reform" are invited to
join.
Reasons for joining the organiza-
ton are set out on the membership
card as follows:
Because I believe that national
prohibition has increased lawless-
ness, hypocrisy and corruption and
because I believe that the cause of
real temperance has been retarded. .
Mrs. Richard Edwards of Peru is
Joint general chairman for Indiana
with Mrs Holiday. Other Indiana
division officers are Mrs. Charles
Harvey Bradley, treasurer, and Mrs.
Robert F.. Scott, secretary.