Evening star., 1932-02-16
VP'SKAW DEMANDS
DEBATE WITH VETS
Offers to Meet VaucIain, At
terbury and Beck on Dry
@ - Law Issue.

"haen wrecked three successive times
by Surrendering to liquors insolent de-
mand," former representative William
D. upshaw of .saprgia today challenged
a statement ht Samuel M. Vauclam
president of the Board of Directors of
tie. Baldwin Locomotive Works, Pflila-
delphia, that a good wet Democratic
presidential candidate will be able To
defeat dry Republican in the coming
elections.
If vets should be nominated as the
leaders of both parties, Upshaw de-
clared, there would be a groundswell
of sober, constitutional. non-partisan
Americanism that would rise up to
gliayd and preserve the eighteenth
amendment to the Constitution"
,UpShaw challenged Vauclain to meet
him in debate on this insistent pro-
lLhition question either singly or with
tpH assistance of Gen. William w. At
terbury. president of the PENNSYLVANIA
Railroad. whose damp" views Upshaw
also challenges. Or, if Vauclain and
Atterbury decline to debate the matter
publicly, Upshaw suggests, they may
appoint their brilliant wet congress,
man" James NJ. Beck, as their cham
pioa, and UpShaW agrees to engage in
debate with Representative Beck for
Vie penelit OF tHe unemployment fund.
y Compares Own Business.
In issuing his challenge, Mr.. Upshaw
said:
Now I haven't as much money as
Mr.. Vauclain, but l submit that i am
engaged in a bigger business. He is
building engines, and as president of
the National Christian Citizenship
Foundation 1 am engaged in the high
and patriotic task of building sober
efficient citizens out of boys and girls
to run those engines and ride on the
trains that those locomotives pull. /
tell you. Mr. Vauclaim is mistaken when
he says, From the reports We read it
(prohibition) has proved milestone
around the neck Of the working people
II has failed in every way challenge
him, to prove that statement He can
not do it. How has it failed?
Henry Ford, who employs far more
working people than Mr.. Vauclain, said
to group OF newspaper reporters at
the White House in Washington. 'Prohi-
bition has been like day compared with
night-a great blessing, both to the
working people and to the manufac-
turers' Thomas Edison and Harvey
Firestone said practically the same
u y. OWICi u llCdll ~
$500 stores. authorized me to publish
his name to the statement that Pro-
hibltion has greatly increased the buy
Ing power and the trading dependability
Of the working masses.
e. Cites Bank Increases.
""The figures show that the number
Of savings banks depositors has in
creased over 400 per cent since Ma
uoual prohibition came.
Jane Addams declares that even in
Chicago, prohibition has made a new
community around Hull House from the
standpoint of sobriety, morality and
community happiness. And Evangeline
Booth declares that, before saloons were
closed, the Salvation Army used to care
for over a thousand drunks around the
Bowery every night, and now the night
J. average in only seven.
On oath, in any court, Mr.. Vau-
claim would be forced to testify against
BIS unguarded statement OF course
This wealthy engine builder says. with
practically all reputable vets, that he
does -aot,sTart the'-old saloon to come
back Then what does he want? He
Knows that if prohibition were abolish
ID as he says the vast majority OF
people desire, saloons would come back
overnight in Philadelphia and every
other wet city and State.
The PenpsylyaniR Railroad long ago
declared that no engineer or conductor
on the Whole system shall be allowed
to drink liquor either on or Oft duty.
How is 1t that Mr.. Vauclaim, the To-
momotive builder, and w. w. Atterbury,
president of the Pennsylvania Railroad,
demand prohibition and sobriety for
their employees, but ask special liquor
privileges for officials and their bibulous
society friends?
Attacks Repeal Plea.
But of all amazing pieces Of clashing
folly ever uttered by any reckless talker
or writer. listen to this by Mr.. Vau-
claim: The vast majority of people, I
believe, realize that prohibition should
be abolished. II this is accomplished
respect for all law will return. Bootleg
gers would disappear and the people
would again be happy
"Bootlegegrs will vanish? Respect for
all will return? The people would
agSsn be happy? Has Mr.. Vauclaim SO
sodn forgotten that recent authorized
piece of Philadelphia history, that six
years before prohibition closed legal
saloons 1000 speakeaSies were found in
Philadelphia alone? And if this shock
ing revelation OF Philadelphia bootleg
gers during saloon days is too much for
Mr.. Vauclaim's nerves. let him step over
to Pittsburgh and find there the record
OF the complaint. of the secretary of the
Allegheny County Saloonkeepers Asso-
citation. protesting to Mayor McGhee
that 1000 bootleggers were selling liquor
without license and interfering with
legitimate business.
Evidently Mr. Vauclaim has been
reading bad literature when he says:
Until now I had always believed pro-
hibition was the best thing for the peo-
pie as a whole, but. from the reports
we have read it has proven a milestone
etc
He ought to read good sa'1 litera-
ture. Being manufacturer, he ought
to read the Manufacturers Record,
published by that great Christian econ
omist and statesman, Richard Ed
monds, and he would find that IS per
cent Of the captains OF commerce in
America declared, in response to Mr..
Edmonds' second questionnaire, that un-
der no condition would they plant their
factories and their employees again be-
side the old saloon.
Calls Liquor Robber.
Finally, Mr.. Vauelaim. you are just
as wrong about the forthcoming presi-
dental election as you are about the
angelic liquor sellers of the old days
and the E1ysian fields Of domestic hap
piness and economic prosperity that
would come from the legal return of
the greatest highway robber that ever
held up the American people-the rob-
ber-highwayman that took 81 100000
600 dollars every year over the counter
of the licensed saloon. .f
The American people have made
up their minds that, whether Republi-
can Or Democrat, no champion of out
lawed. liquor will ever again be Presi-
dent of the United States. A dry Re
publican can beat a wet Democrat, and
a dry Democrat can beat a wet Repub-
Ican.
And If you. Mr. Vauclaim and your
damp neighbor. Mr.. Atterbury, will
discuss this insistent prohibition ques-