Evening star., 1935-10-13
Temperance
Continued From First Page)


teaching of temperance and to min
imize these evil effects by strict en-
forcement Of existing law; the second
to restore prohibition to the District
OF Columbia.
AS one means towards spreading
the message on alcohol to the youth.
DR.. Ellison said, his organization has
taken the matter up directly with DR..
Frank w. Ballou, superintendent OF
schools. A delegation Of dry leaders
some time ago called on DR.. Ballou.
DR.. Ellison said. They called his at
tention to law, which provides that
alcohol must be included in the studies
presented to children in the public
schools.
Teaching Is Mandatory.
1--WE had reports from several re-
cent graduates of local high schools" :"
said DR.. Ellison. that they had never
heard anything about alcohol through
out their public school careers. We
asked DR.. Ballou about It,"
DR.. Ballou told us, said DR.. Ellison,
that so far as he knew the required
courses were being taught, but he
would look into the matter, and see
that the law was being complied with.
This old act, which was enacted in
1886, makes it mandatory upon school
officials and teachers to give instruc-
tior as to 1.-The nature Of alcoholic
drinks and narcotics, and special in
struction as to their effect upon the
human system" in courses on physiol-
ogy and hygiene. It provides penalty
Of dismissal for school officials or
teachers refusing to conform to its
requisites. No certificate to teach in
the schools shall be granted to one
''who has not passed q satisfactory
examination in physiology and hy-
giene, with special reference to the
nature and effects of alcohol"
Leaders of the United Dry Forces,
DR.. Ellison explained last night, do
not underestimate the present strength
Of public support for repeal. They
even admit that there is no real pos.
sibiity now of obtaining enactment
of the Guyer bill introduced at the
last session of Congress for restoring
prohibition to the National Capital.
Bad Conditions Reported.
Conditions here in the city, how
ever, he said, had reached such
stage, based on official reports of ar
rests for drunkenness. and things
which the general public can see upon
the streets, that temperance leaders
felt it was high time to launch
vigorous movement. First. he said,
there was necessity to stimulate new
interest and sense of responsibility
among luke-warm temperance ad-
vocates who had been shocked by
repeal into state Of lethargy.
In the next place, he declared,
militant drys now feel the time is
ripe to start building public senti-
fnent in favor of rigid enforcement
of existing law and Of creating model
conditions in the Nations Capital,
with finally a return Of prohibition.
Among the early steps this week by
the united dry forces will be a meet
ing Of the Speakers Committee Tues
day to begin arrangements for the
program of December to g. Many
churches throughout the city have Of
fered their pulpits for the purpose,
and the plan is, DR.. Ellison explained,
to have a number of meetings each
night, scattered over the District of
Columbia. The week will culminate
with mass meeting Sunday in one
OF the largest downtown churches.
DIR. Darby. secretary of the Wash
ington Federation of Churches, who
Is member of the Speakers Com
nittee. declared last night that de-
tails would be worked out at the
meeting Tuesday. through expected
cooperation of the churches.
Evils Are Obvious.
"The evils now existing in the Dis
trict of Columbia" declared Dr..
Darby, "are so many and so obvious
that I feel confident the Protestant
churches will give the movement their
hearty support.
1.-THE menace of the cocktail hour
to our young people is so great" he
said, I'VE feel something must be
done"
The chairman Of the Speakers Com
Mittee Is j. Raymond Schmidt.
Page NICK. Etchison, president Of
the Organized Bible Glass Association
OF the District of Columbia, said last
night this group is represented on the
United Dry Forces, adding he was
personally very much interested in
the program of this dry committee.
Prefers Old Conditions.
"I have several very definite con-
victions relative to conditions since
the repeal of the eighteenth amend
ment," he said. In the first place, I
see more drunks each week than I did
in o year under prohibition, and I am
dealing with facts and not generali-
ties.
I'm the second place, frankly pre-
fer the days of the old saloon to the
present system. It was possible in
those days to avoid places where
alcoholic liquor was sold, but today
that Is practically impossible.
Thirdly. statistics show an increase
OF drunkenness among young men and
women between II and a years Of age