Jubilee

The Anti-Saloon League held its annual convention at Washington, celebrated the fourth anniversary of the 18th Amendment and its own 30th jubilee. The more prominent speakers, with brief excerpts from their addresses :

Bishop William F. McDowell (Methodist) : "The nations of the world cannot live together half drunk and half sober. If the rest of the world will not keep out of the United States, the rest of the world has got to be made sober by the United States."

Senator Fess of Ohio: "Right in the capital of the Republic itself, where the law is made ... we daily read of the activities of the bootlegger. This situation marks the immediate duty of Congress."

Governor Pinchot of Pennsylvania: "Arrests for drunkenness have enormously increased . . illegal withdrawals of whisky continue to increase, and, most significant of all, the withdrawals of alcohol to be denatured have nearly trebled in two years . . . I know of no scandal in our national history to compare with it."

Prohibition Commissioner Haynes: "The way of the violater grows more difficult, and the day of the get-rich-quick bootlegger is almost a thing of the past . . . The withdrawal of non-beverage whisky during the calendar year of 1923 was only 1,696,360 gallons as compared with 27,381,365 gallons in 1919." Senator Ferris of Michigan: "Any survey of crime, especially growing out of the use of alcoholic liquors, ought in itself to convince the most skeptical that Prohibition prohibits." Senator Harreld of Oklahoma: "Oklahoma was born a Prohibition state and is standing true to the faith of its forefathers." Representative Hill of Alabama: "Great as is the victory the course is not yet finished." Senator Sheppard of Texas: "Prohibition in the United States is both a permanency and a success." Dr. Ben Spence of Toronto: "Canada is bounded on the south by the Volstead Act, but it's somewhat leaky." Senator Willis of Ohio: "If any one comes to Cleveland with a wet plank and produces it, we'll use it as a skid to send him into Lake Erie." W. J. Bryan: "No matter which party wins, this country stays dry forever." More than a thousand delegates to the convention assembled in a driving rain before the White House and sang hymns--Onward Christian Soldiers, etc. The President appeared on the portico and Pussyfoot Johnson pledged to the President the cooperation of those present in enforcing Prohibition. Mr. Coolidge spoke: "It is a satisfaction to receive the assurances of such a body of men and women that they have a firm determination to abide by the laws of the land, and that they propose to uphold the Constitution of the United States. You set a great example in that respect. "There is no such thing as liberty without observance of law. It is a fundamental principle reaching every activity of our Government. It is the foundation of all principles on which Americanism rests, and the source of all civilization." By resolutions, the League endorsed: 1) Opposition to any political candidates not for "law enforcement." 2) Placing Prohibition agents under the Civil Service. 3) Deportation of aliens who violate the Prohibition law. 4) Centralization of all enforcement agencies under one responsible man within a Department of the Cabinet.

5) Dismissal of foreign diplomats who abuse their diplomatic liquor privileges.

6) Opposition to any attempt to alter the Volstead Act for a greater alcoholic content in non-intoxicating beverages.