Evening star., 1933-01-24
DRYS DEMAND BREAD
INSTEAD OF BEER IN
VIGOROUS ATTACK
Continued From First Page.)

general business conditions in WASH
ington. Mr.. Nichol said the merchants
of Washington who support the legal
ization OF the liquor business in any
form are inviting onto their streets the
keenest competitors in the world.
Sees Fewer Temptations.
Mrs. Wilson Compton, representing
the Young Women's Christian Associa-
ton, said:
Il believe speak for the majority
of our membership when say we be-
lieve the temptations and problems of
young womsn have been less under
prohibition than In the days OF the old
saloon. We recognize the failures of
our present system, but We must give
our protest against the Black bill
which would present temptations and
contribute to delinquency by making
saloons of virtually every eating place
in Washington
We feel that passage of the Black
bill and the repeal of the existing Shep-
pard bill will place Washington in a
far worse plight than before national
prohibition. Instead of preventing the
return of the saloon, 1t licenses selling
places of liquor with far fewer safe
guards against the evils than were en-
forced under the old system. Our prob
lem as welfare organization, becoming
steadily more serious one, with low
cred morals and lowered resistance to
economic conditions, would be increased
immeasurably If the Black bill were to
become law"
Declared Intoxicating.
Mrs. Joseph N Saunders. president of
N 1f na
Teachers. attacked the bill on the
ground that the beer 1t proposes to
legali2e Is actually Intoxicating and
would have the effect Of nullifying the
Constitution. She pointed out that the
National Congress Of Parents and
Teachers often has gone on record as
opposing any change In the existing
prohibition laws
Mrs. Harvey w. Wiley, president of
the Federation of Womens Clubs OF
the District, told the committee, those
who say that prohibition Is q failure
are those who have not made 1t their
personal obligation to make it . sue
cess. Drinking among the upper classes
Is fad. If crusade could be in
dulssd in to make sobriety fashionable,
real prohibition would come about in
a comparatively short time"
She said it was her belief that the
majority of club women in the fed
Grafton would regard the legalizing of
beer in Washington as a calamity
The claim is frequently made that
beer is not an intoxicating liquor. and
beer drinking countries are frequently
referred to as relatively free from in
temperance" she declared. This is
contrary to evidence. Before the war
tprnnonU ma of "a 1no hna Ir;, IL
Ing nations. had more than 80 inSti-
tutions for the treatment Of drunkards
OF the drinkers received for treatment
In Swiss hospital between 1887 and
1893. 80 out Of every 100 drank beer,
or beer and wine. In Munich. one man
in every Is was found in hospital post
mortem examinations to have had what
was called beer heart"
Held Unconstitutional.
The beverage proposed in the bill
was attacked as being unconstitutional
and intoxicating by Mrs w. H. Wad-
leigh. president of the Women's Chris
tian Temperance Union of the District.
I'VE believe the bill under considera-
ton" she said, would be unconstitu-
tional as 1t would restore beer Of very
nearly the alcoholic content of the pre-.
Volstead beverage. VETS and drys alike
have testified that the revenue from
even per cent beer will not 20 very
far toward balancing the budget You
have Just as much moral right to
legaiize narcotics as you have to legalize
the habit-forming drugs found in al.
cohol.
"A weak argument always must be
supported by extravagant statements
and untruths, but the strength Of the
drys is that they are on the side of
right and truth and so, are bound to
win in the long run.
Louis b Nichols, representing the Or
gAnised Bible Glass Association Of the
District, told the committee 1t Is poor
economics, particularly in the period Of
financial stringency, to encourage the
expenditure of vast sums for non essen
tial products. like beer in order to Sc
cure Z comparatively small return In
revenue.
For the Government to legalise the sale
Of liquor for the sake Of revenue. he
continued, Is to place itself under obli-
cations which permit the virtual control
Of the Government by lawless trAflc.