Evening star., 1933-02-24
CANNON PREDICTS
DEFEAT OF REPEAL
At Least Half of States Will
Prevent Change, He
Declares.

Predicting defeat of the repeal reso-
/ luton in at least one-half of the States
Bishop James Cannon, jr, and DR.. Eu-
gene L. Crawford, secretary of the
Board of Temperance and Social Serv-
ice of the Methodist Episcopal Church
South, today issued a formal state
ment declaring this is one of the
greatest battles in the great warfare
with alcohol, the age-long enemy OF
our race"
But to defeat ratification, the bishop
said, I'VE must organize thoroughly
give the people the facts. make the is
sue clear, then deliver the dry vote at
the polls. Thus and thus only can we
suppress the wet rebellion inaugurated
and led by Alfred Emanuel Smith. We
can, we must, we will"
Demands Honesty"
Other developments in the prohibition
situation today included a statement
from Canon William Sheafe Chase, su-
perintendent of the International Re-
form Federation. demanding honest
State conventions" and announcement
of prohibition addresses by Canon Chase
and Clinton N. Howard, chairman of
the National United Committee for Law
Enforcement. Canon Chase will speak
for the Columbia National Forum at the
Whitelaw Hotel Thirteenth and T
streets, next Sunday at $3.50 pm.
Mfr: Howard will start a series of ad-
dresses here to help defeat repeal, Sun
day morning at the National Church OF
the Brethren, North Carolina avenue
southeast, and Sunday night at the
Eastern Presbyterian Church, Maryland
avenue and Sixth street northeast. Next
Monday morning Mr.. Howard will speak
at New York Avenue Presbyterian
Church for ministers, on Americas
One Hope"
Bishop Cannon, in his statement,
asked: Shall the brand of the criminal
be removed from the liquor traffic; shall
the country return to exactly the same
ton of the eighteenth amendment, in
cluding the legalized saloon?"
Lawmakers Scored.
There was little doubt as to the
action of Congress-" he said, after the
lawless lawmakers of the House of Rep
resentatives and of two great commit
tees of the Senate violated their oathS
of Office to support and maintain the
Constitution by deliberately voting to
legalize the intoxicating, and therefore
unconstitutional beer.
Now, the responsibility has been laid
souarely on the conventions TO be de-
termined entirely apart from everything
else Do the people desire to legalize
again breweries, distilleries and
saloons?
THE wet rebellion against the eigh-
teenth amendment was lnaugurated at
San Francisco, in 1920. by Tammany
leaders, Alfred Emanuel Smith and
Burke Cochran, and Smith, backed by
certain powerful groups, has been the
platant, unScrupulous foe of prohibition
ana was the leader of the wet forces
in 1924 1928 and 1882.
Through three conventions, 1920,
1924 and 1928, Southern Democrats de-
feated Smiths wet planks, but in 1882,
their jaws locked by political expedi-
ency, they sat in the Chicago conven-
ton like dumb driven cattle. Now
that we are faced with this tremendous
responsibility, will our Southern people,
to say nothing of the rest Of the Ma
ton, permit Tammany Hall and other
groups led by Smith to bring back con-
ditions which existed before 1920? Do
they want the legaliZed liquor traffic to
dominate once more the political life of
the Nation? Will they forget how seri-
ously liquor disturbed our race rela-
LlODS IN Cne SOuun!
THE provision to protect dry States
is worthless. Once the manufacture and
sale of intoXicants are legalized any,
where in the Nation it will be impossible
effectively to protect dry territory or
prevent the return of the saloon.
Great Battle Foreseen.
"Our people must face the facts. Do
they desire the principles advocated by
Smith and the group he represents, or
the principles advocated by the Fed
eral Council of Church, by other great
church conferences, assemblies and
conventions and organizations like the
w. C. T. U. and Anti-Saloon League of
America to dominate the political, eco
nomic, social and moral life of the
This is one of the greatest battles
in the great warfare with alcohol, the
age-long energy of our race. We must
go into this battle with banners flying;
no surrender, no retreat, no compro-
mise
Canon Chase, in his demand for
honest State conventions, said in part:
I'm every State Legislature there
should be determined effort to get a
bill which will provide an ideal State
convention which will be free from the
political machines and from financial
control. 1t should have two sessions,
with at least one month Intervening
one session for organization and ap-