Evening star., 1933-01-23
l 400 FIGHT BEER FOR DISTRICT;
11-POINT RESOLUTION ADOPTED
Mass Meeting OverAows Masonic Audi
torium and Fills Lecture Room of
New York Avenue Church.

a mass meeting OF prohibition support
ers which overflowed the Masonic Au-
ditorium and also filled the lecture
room of the nearby New York Avenue
Presbyterian Church. 1t was estimated
later by the dry leaders that a total Of
about l,400 persons attended.
Following series Of speeches deliv-
cred at both places, an 1l-point resolu-
tion, vigorously opposing the BILL was
unanimously adopted by the two groups.
1t will be submitted soon to Congress.
The services, which were held under
auspices of the Committee of 100 Citi-
zens Protesting Against Possible Re-
turn of the Saloon to Washington, were
presided over by DR.. Everett M. Ellison,
at the Masonic Auditorium. and by Col.
William o. Tufts, at the church lecture
room. The same speakers appeared at
both places, and identical resolutions
were adopted.
The resolutions were presented by DR..
William S. Abernethy, pastor of CAL
vary Baptist Church, who is chairman
OF the Committee on Resolutions.
Future to BE Mapped.
A meeting of the executive commit
tee of the Committee of 100 will be
held Wednesday morning at Calvary
Baptist Church. DR.. Ellison announced
after the meeting. The committee plans
to go over the results of yesterdays
meetings and map a course of future
action
DR.. Ellison also announced that rep
resentatives of various religious and
social welfare organizations Of the city
would appear before the Judiciary Sub
committee of the House District Com
mlttee tomorrow at 10 am. to testify
| against the Black bill
Petitions addressed to Congress were
circulated among those attending the
meetings opposing any modification in
the present prohibition situation. They
read as follows: We the undersigned
citizens of the District of Columbia, are
opposed to the return of beer. We are
opposed to the repeal of the Eight
eenth Amendment. We are opposed to
the return of the liquor traffic in the
District of Columbia in any form what
ever"
Speakers at both meetings vigorously
defended prohibition and denounced
the beer bill. which several said would
bring back saloons to this city. The
speakers included:
Representative c. Ellis Moore of
Ohio, Representative Arthur H. Green
Nicholson, president of the National
Woman's Democratic Law Enforcement
League; Dr. Carl c. Rasmussen, pastor
of Luther Place Memorial Church; Dr.
| George Otis Smith, chairman of the
Federal Power Commission; Maurice
Otterback, president of the Anacostia
Bank; Robert H. McNeill, attorney:
Miss Louise Hayward, student of
of American University. who appeared
to present message from her aunt,
Mrs. H. Wellen Fisher of the Washing
ton Federation of Churches, and Robert
Lyons of the Commercial National
Bank, past president of the Christian
| Endeavor Union.
A message to the meeting from
Representative Rankin of Mississippi,
candidate for the House speakership
was read by Chairman Ellison. as
follows:
IF you never get saloon in Wash
ington until 1 help bring you one,
you'll never have another one"
Sentiment Is Contrasted.
Chairman Ellison contrasted this senti-
ment with what he characterized as the
wet speech delivered by Representative
Rainey, majority leader of the House,
before the Board Of Trade here
recently. DR.. Ellison declared the
Rainey speech was wetter than any
AL Smith could make.
The resolution adopted by the mass
meetings was read by DR.. Abernethy,
listing IL reasons for "our protest" as
follows:
q. Sale of beer by the glass in hotels
and bona flde eating places as speclned
the saloon. Not mahogany bars and
sawdust- covered floors and swinging
doors, but the character or the
commodity sold. makes the saloon
Every drug store in the city. every
delicateSSen and soft drink parlor Is a
potential saloon under the terms OF
| this bill We can scarcely believe that
any one. familiar with this iniquitous
institution would countenance its
return. We therefore call upon
members of Congress and citizens OF
washington to view the situation
calmly and with sane Judgment. We
| do not believe the majority Of the
people of this city desire the return OF
| the saloon or anything approaching II.
%. We are firmly of the opinion that
| the alcoholic content of the beer that
is proposed will make the beverage
Intoxicating. 1t is fact that even
small amount OF alcohol unsteaolss
nerves and renders one incapable OF
| exercising calm judgment in an
emergency. Washingtons streets carry
more than 100000 cars, locally Hegls-
tered. besides thousands of add >lonal
cars from surrounding States: we
submit that to allow drivers under the
influence of liquor to operate cars
through such crowded traffic conditions
as exist here. would be dangerous IN
| the extreme. Even slight degree OF
| intoxication results in lack of co-ordl-
nation between mind and muscle, thus
rendering such person even a greater
menace in crowded traffic than the
man completely overcome.
Hang out Of Criminals.
"3. Just as in the days Of the recog-
nized saloon, every such place was
breeding ground for crime and prostl-
tuition and the hang-out OF the
criminal. so now with the legahzatlon
of places for the sale of liquor. we
shall inevitably see the return OF tnese
conditions. Does washington want 10
give its Endorsement to such an lnstl-
! tuition? We do not believe 1t.
"a We believe that the proposed tax
on beer itself, plus the license lee ior
operating, would greatly increase tne
doing away with the speakeasies now
operating. we are of the opinion that
we would have not only the saloons,
but an increased number Of speakeasleS,
and the city would face conditions 1ar
worse than exist at the present time
Dealers in intoxicants have invariably
shown themselves utterly regardless OF
law. and we have good reasons to be-
lieye they will operate with the least
possible expense to themselves. There
! fore the income from legalized beer we
believe will be far less than is antlcl-
pated.
as. This bill offers no protection
whatever to churches, schools. and resi-
Dental sections against the sale OF In
toxicants. In the old days of the sa-
loon no such place could operate with
In 400 feet of church or school house
or in a residential section. The very
fact that definite distance was specl-
fed is suficient indication that its