Alcohol's Trial

Of the group who built the Anti-Saloon League of America into a great political machine, only to see it die with the passage of the 20th Amendment (Repeal), two of the most zealous. Dr. Howard Hyde Russell and Dr. Francis Scott McBride, last week were again building. Dr. Russell last fortnight celebrated his 82nd birthday. Hale and vigorous, he said: "We've had a setback; we're going to have a comeback!" Dr. Russell and sad-eyed Dr. McBride, superintendent of the League, last week revealed to Philadelphia --first large city to see it in action--the technique of their comeback, a "mock trial of Beverage Alcohol."

Dr. Russell's trial made its Philadelphia debut at Dr. Daniel Alfred Poling's Baptist Temple, drew a crowd of 3,500. The jurists who presided were George A. Welsh of U. S. district court, Frank Smith of common pleas, Thomas Bluett of municipal court. As he does whenever possible, Dr. Russell played prosecuting attorney. Dr. Russell and his audience were content to have Alcohol defended by Dr. Virgil P. Brock, Dr. Russell's associate, an evangelist. Called by Dr. Russell "as strong a case as possible" for liquor. Dr. Brock's line was that everyone should have personal liberty and that liquor pays taxes. He also pleaded Alcohol's case with: "If a man wants to drink and then go out for a drive in his own car--that's his business!" (Boos from the Baptist Temple audience.)

Dr. Russell's instructions for holding trials call for at least 20 juries "to exhibit a cross section of the growing public sentiment against liquor." Philadelphia's 20 juries represented not only the usual teachers, parents, businessmen, high-school students, ministers, mothers but a jury of twelve "redeemed men" from the city's Whosoever Mission. The chief justice (Judge Welsh) read them a charge which urged them to consider whether Alcohol is guilty of various capital crimes committed by people under its influence, of causing poverty, insanity and bodily disability. The juries could, if they wished, make use of "canned" verdicts written by Dr. Russell and condemning alcohol to death in rather elaborate language. The 20 Philadelphia juries, however, simply judged Alcohol guilty in their own brief words. Somewhat to Dr. Russell's surprise--it had never happened before on the trial's tour--a jury of high school students recommended leniency for liquor.

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