The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1941-10-30
TEMPERANCE RALLY -
CONTINUED from page Onel

)llce. but its place Is not IL lhe
luman body as a beverage. Alcohol is
poison, whether it is made IN the
,ootlegger's still or in the most ex-
,ensive r~efineries. 1t should be re
1uired to be labelled POISON in
FED letters, he said, with the skull
and eros bones sign, as other poisons
re labelled. The speaker went on
O say the alcohol content in all
beverages is alike, whether the drinks
are made by brewing, as IN beer, or
by fermentation, as in wine, or by
distilling, as in the case of whiskey.
There is so such things as good Ii
auor." he claimed. at is all bad,
because all alcohol is bad as a bever-
age"
Discussing, in the second part of
his lecture, the present situation IN
the liquor field, DR.. Neill said that
a report shows that the consumption
of beverage alcohol in the United
States last year averaged 14.3 gal
Ions per individual for the entire
population. He pointed out how pro-
misses to protect dry territories have
been broken by the Federal Govern
ment and how everything possible is
being done to force liquor on all
parts of the country. "We have a
man in the White House, said he,
''who has sold out to the liquor in
terests." DR.. Neill fastened to say
that he admires the President at
many points, but that he feels that
the Presidents influence is one OF
the largest factors in the present
flourishing of the liquor business.
In the last part Of his address, DR..
Neil spoke on what a be done a.
bout the remedying of present cOndi-
tions. He advocated that we "build q
fire" under the President to make
him consider the rights of dry ter
ritory. Also, there should be a law,
DR.. Neill claimed, to protect dry
areas from the advertising of liquor.
He especially advised that action
should be taken to prohibit the sale
of liquor to the men in the country'S
armed service. He pointed to the ex-
ample of Josephus Daniels, Secretary
Of the Navy in the first World war,
who forbade the serving of alcohol
on board the ships of the United
States Navy. He recommended that
interested people continue the cam
paign of education concerning the
campaign of education concerning
The evils of drink and the securing
of temperance pledges as in other
days of the liquor fight.
Rev. E. S. Lewis, Pastor the Du-
rant Methodist Church, presided ov-
or the assembly and presented DR..
Neill. At the close of DR.. Neill's
address, the meeting vas opened to
hear anyone who cared to speak.
Rev. J. H. Street spoke briefly adj
vising the. citizens to assert them
selves and let the officers Of the city
nd county know their desires. He
stated that the sale of liquor can be
stopped w<zh local support and tho
cooperation of the law enforcing ag-
encies. He also stated that he had
the names Of nine place with Durant
address which have Federal liquor
license.
Other speakers were Rev. w. J.
Blackmon, Pastor of the Nazarene
Church, Dr.. Judson Chastain, pastor
Of the Lexington Baptist Church, and
Sheriff Allan Ramsey. Mr.. Ramsey
spoke explaining his position @
sheriff. He stated that he had OBJ
tanned injunctions against 13 places
engaged in the sale of liquor and
that he stands ready to cooperate
with all localities where support is
sufficient to warrant his interview
ton. He stated that he feels that in
cities he should be invited to assist
if his services in the enforcement
of the law are desired.
j. E. Sweany made the following
motion, which vas carried by stand
ing vote of practically all present.:
81 move that the Chairman appoint
a committee to represent this body
before the city and county officials
to assure them of u support and
to urge them to enforce the laws and
eliminate the sale and use of bever-
age alcohol from our city and
county" The committee appointed
by the Chairman was as follows: Hor-
ace Weir, W. H. Counts, ]. H. Street,
z. 5. Lewis, J. R. Tackett, w. ].
Blackmon, Walter Odom. Mrs. Rob-
ert Ham, Robert Irby, Mrs. A. L.
Stevens, Mrs. Walter Odom, and J.
f. Sweany.