Evening star., 1943-05-17
Anti-SaIoonf LEAGUE
Asks Dry America j.
As Aid 10 Victory
Convention Concludes
Today, With Speeches
By Key Leaders

by Key Leaders
Key leaders of the Anti-Saloor
League of America were to conclude
their 32d national conference al
meetings today at and pm, fol-
lowing initial sessions yesterday al
which dry leaders urged wartime
prohibition.
Bishop Ralph S. Cushman of the
Methodist Church, with headquar-
ters in st. Paul, Mimi, struck the
conference keynote yesterday at
Calvary Baptist Church when he
said "the legalized liquor traffic
must be destroyed from the face of
America"
Bishop Cushman echoed the
views expressed by the Rev. Sam
Morris of San Antonio. Tex, field
speaker of the Anti-Saloon League
Of America, who asserted that mo
man can honestly deny that liquor
prepared the way for Japan's dev-
astating attack on Pearl Harbor ,
The Rev Mr.. Morris added that a
Government which could conscript
the flower of American youth for
military service could adopt war
time prohibition "if it wants to-"
Hits Liquor Tolerance.
Bishop Cushman, composer OF re-
hgious poems. assailed church
members for their tolerant atti-
tude" toward drinking, especially
members of boards of stewards who
have cocktail parties" in their
homes.
Bishop Cushman said he had a
certain measure of sympathy" for
members OF Congress under con-
slant pressure from the liquor lobby
lists" when he recalled how silent
our church people can be-
The matter of dealing conclusively
with the liquor problem, Bishop
Cushman said, resolves itself into
this question: When will the chill
dren Of God be as aggressive as the
children of the devil?'
Pointing out that five great to-
bacco companies spent $4,000 900
for advertising in one year as con-
trasted with the budget of $25, 900 900
OF five great missionary societies,
Bishop Cusnman said church men,
bers must awaken tc the evils of
liquor and fight courageously for its
determination"
Historical Precedents.
He termed liquor an EVIL thing
which damns mems lives" A world
war Is going on. he added. because
the Church of Christ has not been
true to the teachings of Christ"
The Rev. Mr.. Morris cited his
torical examples in support of his
contention that liquor is an enemy
Of decent principles" Belshazzar and
Babylon. he said. was a tale of
drunken revelry; Washington cross
ing the Delaware was victorious at
Trenton because "Hessian soldiers
were drunk; the Germans failed to
capture Paris in 1918 because 80 900
German soldiers paused to get drunk
on wine left by French refugees:
and English and American men
and women in their formal evening
clothes were drinking at clubs when
the Japanese were only 5 miles from
Singapore"
Cites Prohibition Savings.
In the World War, the speaker
continued, America was not the
arsenal of democracy nor the bread
basket of the world Wartime pro-
hibition. he said, will save electricity,
help solve the znsnpower shortage
and preserve food materials for
civilians, by the closing of night
clubs, honkytonks, beer joints.
saloons and other dives" Workers
IN the beer industry, he added,
should be put to work in war plants
Absenteeism is due largely to the
results Of drunken orgies, he asserted.
A Nation that can make 100000
900 people stop buying normal
quantities of coffee, sugar, meat,
shoes and gasoline can make the
people stop buying booze if it wants
to-" he said. If we can't lick boot
leggers around our armed camps and
industrial centers, how can we lick
the Germans and the Japs? Con-
gress and President Roosevelt owe
1t to the American people to adopt
wartime prohibition"
It was his opinion that Liquor
dives produced iitterbug dancers so
weak that Government physicians
said to those rejected, Go back
home, you are not fit to kill" He
added that radio stations refuse to
sell time on the air for temperance
and prohibition lectures because 1T
is a controversial subject but sell
time to the liquor industry for the
advertisement Of their products.
Ignored Pearl Harbor Warning.
Discussing the topic Remember
Pearl Harbor.' Mr. Morris said that
Saturday, December 6, l94l, was
pay day for our troops at Pearl
Harbor; $4,000 soldiers and sailors
had shore leave, and the warning
of the approach Of japanese planes.
given by a sober man, was ignored"
Remarking that "wets" invoke the
plea of personal liberty whenever
prohibition is mentioned, Mr.. Morris
emphasized that millions of Ameri-
can men gave up their liberties when
they entered the armed services.
Churches and schools, he pointed
out. were closed last winter for lack
Of fuel oil, but hundreds of tank
cars hauled wine from California
across the continent"
Shall we ask the flower Of our
youth" the Rev. Mr.. Morris said.
ITO suspend their personal liberties
and not ask our civilian population
to give up booze for the duration"
Several hundred men and women
attended the opening meeting. The
presiding officer was Dr. Frank An
derson, of Des Moines. Iowa. presi-
dent Of the Iowa Anti-Saloon League.
The invocation was asked by DR..
Frank H. Throop of Columbus, Ohio,
moderator of the Synod of Ohio,
Presbyterian church of the United
States of America. Following the
meeting, an informal reception hon.
oring Anti-Saloon League pioneers
was held in adjoining Woodward