Evening star., 1932-12-12
Dozen Tell House Group Pro-
ductivity of Citizens Is
Lowered by Alcohol.
MRS. HENRY w. PEABODY
HEADS OPPOSITION UNIT
Mrs. Colvin Declares Election Was
No Mandate, Since Major Par
ties Were Both Wet.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press
A dozen women brought to the big
hearing room Of the House Ways and
Means Committee today assertions that
beer would decrease the source of tax
able wealth by reducing productivity
Of citizens.
Led by Mrs. Henry W. Peabody, one
after another, women opponents of
modification of the Volstead act testi-
fed that beer was intoxicating. that
even small amount Of alcohol tended
to slow down the human machine and
that taxes the Government had lost bv
elimination Of the liquor traffic had
been paid to it in other forms of
levtes.
Rainey Bans Applause.
There was frequent applause bv the
group for each others assertions until
Representative Rainey, Democrat. of IL
ilnols, reminded that applause was for
hidden.
Mrs. L. Leigh Colvin, president of
the Women's Christian Temperance
Union Of New York, contended the
election was no wet mandate, SAYING
the drys had no chance to vote for
either major party and at the same
time vote dry.
She displayed bottle Of milk, chill
dren's toys and bread and said IF
the man gets his glass Of beer, the
children will have to give up these
for Christmas"
Reads Prepared Statement.
Holding lorgnette In her right hand,
Mrs. Peabody read from a prepared
statement. She said her organization
represented nine groups with a mem
bership of 10,000,000 persons.
We are here to present our opposi-
ton to any increase in the alcoholic
content from one-half of one per cent
as authorized by the Volstead act" she
said. This content was fixed by the
brewers themselves 40 years ago in their
defense against the soft drink trade.
Let this decision stand"
Mrs. Peabody introduces her wit
nesses, calling first on Mrs William L.
Darby Of this city, chairmat Of the De-
partment of Legislation and Law OBJ
servance of the National Ceencil Fed
Grated Church Women.
I'VE have reached q crucial state In
our country's life, and loyalty to the
Constitution is one Of the supreme def
mands Of the hour" Mrs. Darby said.
Clean Government Needed.
"Clean Government and obedience Of
law are the worlds two greatest needs.
The eighteenth amendment is essen
tial to the control of interstate liquor
traffic which always defles every State
law. This committee has held its con-
ventions at Washington, Chicago and
Indianapolis, all of which we have at
tended representing the National Coun-
ell of Federated Church Women.
Since both parties stand virtually
for the repeal Of the eighteenth amend
as church women.
Women form one-half of the cleo
torate. Eleven million voted in 1928
for President Hoover on a dry platform.
Women want clean government.
Women want no repeal of the eight
eenth amendment except through the
usual method prescribed in the Consti-
tuition. When Congress has recon-
mended the same by two-thirds ma
jority vote and three quarters OF the
Legislatures have ratified this action,
we will know the people want repeal.
Church women want to stand by
their denominational church bodies, all
but two of which have registered their
support of the eighteenth amendment
or continued confidence in prohibition.
Women want moral welfare. Ply
sical conditions improved. Law makers
to be law observers"
Questioned by Treadway.
Mrs. Darby was asked by Representa-
tive Treadway, Republican, of Massa-
chusetts:
Are members of Congress not ex-
pected to support the platforms Of the
two political parties9"
'I did not know that any member Of
1Cnr+i,n,,nd az, pnnn CnI11nnn a