Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-15

incontestibie fact that the eighteenth amend
ment TO the Constitution is a law of the land,
supporters and opponents hurl their pleas pro-
tests and prophecies from pulpit press and
bench in forensic combat in their struggle TO
sway public opinion to their respective views.
Just So years ago prohibition or temperance
created its first large tempest in the national
teapot when it invaded the White House, upset
the time honored traditions and practices which
had prevailed since Gen. washington oecreeo
their usage and established in their stead
epoch marking precedents
-Iurtling into the limelight in the aftermath
of the Hayes-Tilden election contest, the intro
duction of temperance rules was not the ex-
preston of party policy, but that of the newly
installed and couragao mistress of the White
House Lucy Webb Hayes. wife of the nine
teenth President of the United States. Ruther-
+o~i Brchard Hayes of Ohio, whose adminstra-
! J., covered the period OF 1877-10S1. and which
waG marked by unusual events and conditions.
lust one formal state function and only
did Secretary Of State William E. Evarts ar
range according to the tlme-honoreo customs
of abundance and variety Of wines, when Mrs.
Iayes electrified the world at home and abroad
by her decision to abolish all liquors from use
during her regime in the Presidents house.
What Juror her ultimatuno did create! Such
a torrent of criticism and even OF abuse was
never before directed toward the wife OF
President of the United States. Secretary
Evarts protested argued and pleaded against
part1ent prerogatives in the arrangement OF
state functions. He prophesied international
complications offended and disgruntled diplo-
mats damaged national prestige and divers
other serious calamites as bound to result from
this radical action. and in this view he was
supported by members of the Cabinet, their
families and also by many OF the leading off,
Gals who nesought the President and his wife
to abandon their anti-hquor dictum for the
honor OF the country"
THIS action Of Mrs. Hayes, coming at the be-
ginning Of her administration and just
the heels of the bitter HayeS-Tiden election
contest 2eemed to arouse anew all of the ami
mostly OF the Tilden supporters, who had never
conceded fair victory TO Gen. Hayes in the
election returns. nor did they accept the de-
cision of the Electoral Commissicn appointed
by Congress to settle the dispute. These five
Senators, five Supreme Court justices and five
Representatives did not hand down their de-
cision until the eve If Inauguration, when they
sustained the victory to Hayes by one vote.
Hence TO the epithets hurled at President
Hayes we're added the sneering comments and
jibe3 of those who felt that the President should
not have permitted his wife to set aside the
established procedure Of the Mansion because Of
her own personal conviction.
lucy Webb HAYES. the first college woman
TO preside as mistress of the White House,
possessed a cultural and educational environ
ment that fitted her admirably for its arduOus
duties. As wife Of the Governor Of Ohio
through three terms. wide social and admins
trative experience had brought out the latent
forcefulness of her character and had given
her the courage to stand by her convictions.
She considered it every womans absolute right
to govern her own household. whether that
household was a humble cottage or a palace.
With this opinion, Mrs. Hayes had no hesitancy
in assuming full charge of the White House
and planning its social affairs, just as she had
done in the gubernatorial mansion in Ohio,
reservng to herself the right to serve wines or
To Danish them, she chose
from the hour OF her arrival at Washington
Mrs. Hayes was beset with appeals and beseiged
with advice and suggestions to how she
should administer her end of the presidential
OBJ. Because Of her strong religious leanings
and her adherence to the cause of temperance,
she was especially entreated by the zealots of
the temperance movement to abolish the
OF wines during her regime In addition to
flooding her with letters, various leaders and
delegations importuned her for her avowed
allegiance to their cause, knowing that new
and powerful impetus would be given to their
work through policy emanatng from the
White House as a national example. To the
wife Of a prominent clergyman who called to
personally entreat the new First Lady of the
land in this respect Mrs. Hayes. though sur
prised listened with her characteristic gracious
courtesy, but did not commit herself as to the
stand she intended to take, replying to her
caller as follows:
Madame it is my husband, not myself, who
Is President. l think a who is capable of
filling so important a position l believe my
husband TO be is quite competent to establish
such rules as will obtain in his house without
calling members of other households.
would not offend you and would not offend
Mr. Hayes, who knows what is due TO his posi-
tion. his family and himself without any inter-
ference of others directly or through his wife
The President and Mrs. Hayes conferred over
the liquor question and agreed between them
that for the greatest good to the greatest