The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-03-31
BY JAMES E. HILBERT AYE A GA,sx,anA 0k0 e rAnwnaAn..s sy n .,

BY JAMES E. HILBERT I NEA Service Stan Correspondent ] Springfield, Ill, March 31-Ban- ish the barroom BesSiesl No hang overs in national defense! That's the cry in Illinois as determined drys troop to the polls in 300 local option elections between April l and IS.
 The results may be the best in- dex yet of what America thinks of the relation between gin mills and airplane factories, Draftee John Doe and old John Barley corn and the employment of wo- men in drink emporiums.
 From big wet Chicago, through distillery minded Peoria d down to small farming countries, voters will decide these issues as wet and dry organizations watch for an indication of the national trend.
 SITUATION SIMILAR
 TO WORLD WAR DAYS
 The drys have tied up the pa- trlotic angle with an anti-sin drive. This ranks as the first big test of sentiment on the moonshine- -and- morals issue since national defense grabbed most of the headline space.
 The crusade that ended in pro- hibition got It's greatest push dur ing World War I under similar cir cufstances. Foes of the flowing bowl charged workers in industry vital to military success were hampered by alcoholic indulgence and that the armed forces would be morally Euined.
 The same cry Is heard today as the Women's Christian Temperance Union in Illinois charges the whisky bottle is Q main bottleneck in de- fense production.
 DRYs FEAR FOR
 MORALS OF DRAFTEES League officials are painting some wildly scarlet scenes which they say are the true background of the liquce picture now that women drink in bars with men and in some states work behind the mahogany or wait on customers. They insist these conditions have injured or will injure the morals of the new army.
 .Tlie coalition of liquor. gambling and prostitution is strong in almost every community adjoining the camps," charges Clarence Hall, in- |vestigator for the Christian Advo- lcate, in 6 W. Q. T. U. broadside. Patronage comes not only from men already addicted to such prac- tices, but also from adventurous youths who, separated from home ties, dabble experimentally for the Isake of an unaccustomed thrill.
 My suggestion is that the church people of America band together, first force their local governments to clean up liquor and vice condi- tions, and then unite with others all over the country to put up such holy howl that federal legislation will have to be enacted-or else" WANTS MORE STRINGENT LAWS
 That is just what Superintendent iR. D. Dexheimer of the Illinois tAnti-Saloon League Is doing in this campaign. He believes that If a majority there mark their ballots for the drys, the legislature will en- act more stringent laws and that the drive will spread to other states. He points out that the South Carolina and Georgia legislatures have before them bills providing for statewide prohibition and that only 26 of North Carolina's 100 counties now permit sale of intoxi- cants.
 we don't say the trend is to- ward nationwide prohibition, but we do say there is very definite swing to prohibition in some areas and a move to stricter enforcement almost everywhere" said Dexheimer,
 "The thing we want to do right now is stop women from working ,in saloons, enforce closing laws, block sales to minors, keep dis reputable joints as far as possible from army camps"
 DEALER SUGGESTS
 EELF-ENTORCEMENT
 Organized vets are taking little active part in the Illinois campaign and many liquor dealers agree in general with Dexheimer's statement regarding strict enlargement. Some Akalers' associations are talking about their organizations doing g little vigilante work on erring mem' bers.