Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-14
HOLDS PROHIBITION
IS NO LONGER ISSUE
Mrs. Sabin Asserts Contro.
versy Is Between Absti-
hence and Temperance.
Continued From First Pageo

Continued From First Page.)
ganization which she heads, Mrs. Sabir
said the membership had increased from
100000 at the last convention to $780,
900 now.
ITO the militant prohibitionists who
had long been accustomed to facing the
brewers and distillers as their only ad-
versaries the change In the character
of the opponents Of the eighteenth
amendment is bafiing and on the whole
Is very unwelcome." she said.
Charges Substantiated
IF the growth in our membership
Is not evidence enough of the increas-
ing demand for the repeal Of the eight
zenith amendment, certainly the report
of the Presidents commission on law
observance and enforcement has made
the necessity Of repeal plain in every
honest mind" The chairman con-
tinued." Every charge against national
prohibition that the Womens Organ
ization for National Prohibition Re-
form has brought during the two years
of its existence, has been fully substan-
tiated by the report of the Wickersham
Commission after their eighteen months
OF comprehensive, painstaking and
thorough investigation. The findings
spread upon the pages Of the Wicker
sham report, the separate statements
OF all but one Of its eleven members,
compose a document which should be
adopted as the handbook of the anti
prohibitionists. Though by some feat
Of japanese sword-swsllowing, the COM
mission managed in its summing I'D as
a unit to eat its own words, never
the1eSS for the findings which 1t spread
upon the record and for the plain de-
mand Of 10 Of its IL members for re-
peal or revision, we owe debt Of graft
contentious as to the disastrous effects
of national prohibition has been fur
Their emphasized by its chairman, Mr..
Wickersham. He was reported in the
press to have said In q recent speech
in Boston: az should have thought that
the VETS would have derived more en-
couragement from the report and the
separate statements Of the commits
Goners than the 'drys.'"
dbl"
Advocates Of Repeal victOrs
Going into discussion Of the last cleo
ton, Mrs. Sabin said that from five
hitherto arid States-Nebraska, Oregon,
South Carolina, Tennessee and Wash
ington-Congressional seats were won
by the advocates Of repeal. In three
states. Illinois, Massachusetts and
Rhode Island, referenda resulted In
great .t maioriss sa for q. rsp s1 vo Mssss
act. she added.
These elections" she said, bring
to eight the total number of states
which have officially notified the Fed
eral government that they viii no long
er cooperate In the enforcement Of Q
law hateful to their citizens. These
eight states represent approximately IS
per cent Of, our population"
She also pointed out that last year,
2S State party platforms included re-
peal planks, compared to 1928 when,
she said no party had such issue. in
corporated in its platform.
The incoming House, Mrs. Sabin said,
wiz EgTe 80 Republicans and ~ Demo-
Gratis. Ind the Senate, IL Of each major
party, standing for repeal.
I. Conventions To Consider Repeal
Mrs. sabin recalled that in both
Massachusetts, and New York the legiS-
latIlres had gone on record in favor
of conventions to consider repeal. but
that the New York plan for State
Massachusetts, plan, for q national con-
vention, It might not be possible to
restrict deliberations to prohibition, she
smplified, while under the State plan,
delegates could be elected on the single
isEle involved.
In concluding, Mrs. Sabin declared,
that candidates for ONCE would not
be allowed to evade the prohibition
question by the organization she
represents
Following the speeches. committees
were organized and went into executive
session.
Tonight at 7:3o there will be BAN
uuet followed by business meeting, at
which the speakers viii be Matthew
Vol. vice president of the American
Federation Of Labor; DR.. Esther Rich
ards, psychiatrist, Of Johns Hopkins
University, and Maurice s. Sherman,
editor Of the Hartford Comm Cour-
ant.
Delegates to the convention from the
District Of Columbia, in addition TO
Miss Gurnee are Mrs. Spencer Cosby,
Mrs. Margaret Cox, Mrs. John r. Dry
den, Miss Elizabeth Harris, Mrs. Henry
Leonard, Mrs. w. B. Mason. Mrs. Fred
erick Soiger. Mrs. Valentine Vivkery,
Mrs. John r. Williams and Mrs. W.
NJ. Wright.
Many Of the delegates tn this con-
vention this morning attended the an
nual meeting Of the Red Cross to which
they also are dele0ateE