Evening star., 1932-12-04
'DRYS URGE HOUSE
TO OPPOSE BEER
Four Leading Organizations
Send Open Letter to All
Representatives.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
-Four of the leading organizations sup
porting prohibition laws united last
night in an open letter to members Of
the House asking votes against "all
attempts" to repeal the eighteenth
amendment or legalize beer.
The letter was signed by F. Scott
Mcbride, general superintendent, and
Edward B. Dunford, attorney of the
Anti-Saloon League: Ella A. Boole,
president, and 1zora Scott, legislative
representative of the Women's Chris
tian Temperance Union; Clarence True
Wilson, executive secretary. and Deets
Pickett. research secretary OF the
Methodist Board of Temperance, Pro-
hibition and Public Morals, and William
S. Chase, general superintendent of the
International Reform Federation.
'Not Wet Mandate"
"The Democratic victory was not a
wet mandate, but command to remedy
the depression, the letter said in part.
THE fact that Gov. Roosevelt carried
every dry State in the country, except
Maine, indicates that the major issue
was bread, not beer, and the prchlbi-
ton, carried in each instance by anti
voting against beer, voted for bread
Referring to referenda on prohibi-
ton, acried in each instance by anti
prohibitionists in the recent election,
the letter said there was seldom major
spokesman for the drys.
You should not be influenced" the
letter said, Ito betray your constituents,
if they elected you as dry, and II they
thought they could trust you, no matter
what pressure the liquor traffic and It's
advocates might bring against you"
Beth Parties Held Wet.
It added that because both major
party platforms had wet plankS many
prohibitionists voted to express them
selves en- the economic issue without
reference to prohibition.
DR.. Mcbride said later in statement
that "Anti-Saloon League officials and
other State and national dry leaders
have urged that our coming convention
give consideration to plans for real
test of prohibition sentiment.
THE Anti-Saloon League does not
ccncede the recent election as a true
reflection Of public opinion on prohibi-
tion," he said.
1.-TWO methods most frequently men,
toned to insure real test, suggested
for specific consideration, are the con-
gressional elections in 1884 and con-
stitutional amendment to the amending
clause of the Constitution providing for
a direct expression on constitutional
amendments independent of partisan
politics rather than by submission to
Legislatures or machine controlled State
conventions"
Plan Political Fight.
Mcbride said specific study will be
given at the convention to the wet
or dry status of a Congressman who
claims to be dry, but votes on the
principle that the party plank and not
his own convictions, or the wishes of
his constituents should govern his
action.
IF Congress Is inclined to abdicate
in favor of party organizations on ques-
tions of moral principle like prohibition
the dry forces are determined not only
to hold individual Congressman respon-
sible for their votes, but also to take a
greater part in the selection of party
convention delegates"
The president of the Women's Chris
tian Temperance Union in a telegram
last night to members of Congress who
in the past have supported prohibition.
asked that they vote for retention of
the eighteenth amendment and "ad-
equate appropriations" for enforcement
The kilograms were sent to members
whose voting record, it was said. had
always heretofore been in support of
prohibition and enforcement. From
experience and observance" the message
prohibition is the best method of deal
ing with the liQuor traffic"