rvrtJ' SN0
h Commoner
JITiY, 1919
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July 1, 1919
UndeCamuel Will Get You If You Don't Watch Out
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niwtract of address of William Jonnings
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- liiiir i i :r J ul l.i&j atauuiuaul wuiii.tiiitLi v
Cdobration, Columbus, Ohio.
,r nhnfrmnn. Ladies and Gentlemen: T nn-
f .' im imnnr done mo t)V the Ctantannrv
feommittee in inviting mo to participate in the
exercises ui iuu- i . . oi, ulJr
i.- t 4tiia cnlnnnless nation be more fittlni?lv
Celebrated than in the capital of the largest
State that has gone dry by popular vote. And
andcr what auspices couia me aay oe celebrated
nth greater iiruijuotjr nmu uuuoi mu uubiJiuua
.r tMa pmat church, which has taken so nnn-
ipIcuouB a part In the overthrow of the saloon?
f If I were a minister I would take my text
from the Bible I will do so anyhow. "They
re dead that sought the young child's life."
hese arc mo worus euujiuyeu wuen josepn ana
ary were inrormea mat u was sate to return
i Pftlpstino. Has not King Alcohol slain mnrn
MMrpn than Kins Herod? His reltrn in ovpp.
Mr Rhatlow will no loneer darken the dnnrs nf
Ihe homes of our land. He will no longer blight
he hopes or cmiuren ana uiast tno lives of men
,nu women.
Anrl what n. COmnleto vietorv! Wn lrnvn nlnn
itates more than wo needed and the amendment
as ratified in a little more than one-seventh
f the time allowed for its ratification. No nn.rtv
:an claim entire credit for the victory; the two
;reat parties united in the fight against -alcohol
,nd share the glory together. It was a triumph
f thp nation's conscience.
The revolution will not turn bank? th fnofnra
hat have combined to bring success are growing
actors. Each day adds to their strength. Let
ne mention some or tnem. First, moral standards
ave been raised, and thov will not ho lnworori
lecond, scientific investiirations have shown ihrff
ven the moderate use "of alcohol is injurious
nd these demonstrations cannot be overthrown.
Vhcther one is fighting as a soldier or is a
iroducer in time of neace. he neefla n fpnr hmin
ind a steady nerve. York l.bo wnrirVc atnCf
loldier, measured by individual ofTiMormv wna
eetotaler no rum ration could have qualified
iiw iui wie unexampled work that he did. Third,
'iisiness men have helned bv rivlm ,0
.0 men who do not drink. Fourth, patriotism
1 m 11 over the top the war threw
huuaiiy nam, upon tne menace of alcohol. Our
rmy, trained unrir nrmrUHnna ,,,, v t-
are .surprised the world as a fighting machine,
lesson will not be unlearned it'Nvill bo
aught to other nations.
Enforcement comes -next. But it will be easier
lOW. TllG Hniinr nfaMO(n i j .
inr i 7 . ""l-ica'0 imvu usea wet ter-
err Lv b,aSis 'or-thefr operations against dry
ihe flag s no longer a wet sPot Under
Heretofore wn iioir i,.a x - . .
ial orCani,nt A;.". :u "tt.u.c" uomD; Seat nnan-
crlmlnnio Y ', UBai wun individual
KftA I ? each 0no of thesQ wIn he running
hat ho MnWnf y irom an offlcer of the law
u ne cannot nn.nnorafn -ji- ., ,
eetror .,, 7 "i'"1-0 vilu any otner Doot
Sr'Tme ln tta same direction at the
"1'mwUj
eeii tolTZZrito d distilleries have
h flBhtinc nrnhiwH y aQ money tliey used
Putto nw?!"011'' now tuo dings must
been DurPhn.:?:n?,DF?w??7 ln. Michigan
inverted fntnn V , oiaoaiat cnurch and
sreatest nnnvl J B"v settlement plant. the
t Tarsus Veision Since the converBlon of Saul
trough hnfr fi 0f sorrow we have "passed
cometh wit? ifth0 moruinK Is hero, and joy
T -
if tlie fini? 'I? la, diad " looked' at times x
anuary kV rvlllles mignt delayed until
lnnceiient wonw President's wcent an
rink traffic H oS lo put an end to the
--.- "tt,l" We Rn.VH that- !, l. . ...
"cent war t.t.m . r ,'"l, "o uu.a juo power 10
lion coSSS S,0nnSntInu0B Hnt11 demobilisa-
ervice mor T,::' ""u... wo nave yet in the
learl' one-half i t muiion emergency soldiers,
re many to Ln h e? In EurPe, the chances
ie wmpieted w lat domoonization will not
egins. The inm? cona"tutional prohibition
hii t.. ..ae monger tho hdHati ,i rL
:ravo in whin? ,l s reluctance to reopen the
iroused, peonin .a, lonr suffering, but at last
nemy. l eople have buriea ' man's greatest
inere will nf
'stance in ' Hni Course' hi remonstrance and
m some sections; A' St. Louis-coh-
V !
Coiumbut, Ohio, CItfteiu
gressman Is trying to secure the oxomption of
beer and wine, but ho will fail, and ought to
fail. The brewer and the distiller have been
partners in crime co-conspirators against all
that is high and holy. Nov, that they are about
to reach tho end of their criminal careers, it
would bo cruel to separate them; they must be
allowed to die together and be buried in the
same grave. ,
The last hope of the liquor interests Is to en
trust the courts to decide how much alcohol is
necessary to intoxicate, but this effort also will
fall, and ought to fail. The prohibition law to
be enacted by congress will fix the alcoholic con.
tent. If the people have a right to protect them
selves from the saloon, they have a right to
define a saloon and to say what it shall be per
mitted to sell. Congress and not the courts
will decide upon the alcoholic content to be
permitted.
And what Is there yet to bo done? The work
of education must continue so that each succeed
ing generation will be more hostile than the
one before, to any use of intoxicating beverages.
And then will follow ,the largest work of all,
namely, the carrying to other nations of the
.dual remedy that we are using here, total ab
stinence that makes the individual immune to
alcoholism, and prohibition that destroys the
breeding place of the influences that carry the
germ of the disease. We cannot be deaf to the
Macedonian calls for help. We are the heirs of
the past and have received from every other
nation. Having received more than any other
nation over received, we must give and serve
as no other nation has.
Our Saviour went about doing good; he
healed the sick; he opened the eyes of the blind;
he cast out devils. We are commanded to follow
in his footsteps and imitate- his example. The
world Is sick wo have found a remedy. The
world is blind we can open their eyes to the
evils of alcohol and to the benefits of total ab
stinence and prohibition. In the spirit of he
Master, we can help to cast out the evil spirit
that has -afflicted man throughout the ages.
Having emancipated ourselves we are inposi
tion to help redeem the world and we will do
so I did not expect nine years ago that I would
ever live to ee tho nation dry But our cuo
has made uch rapid program and I have juicIi
faith in tho weight of our nation's examplt tlmt,
though 59, I expect to live to see the day when
thero will not bo an open saloon in any civilized
nation on the globe.
I cannot conclude without adding a word In
support of the league- of nation, and it is not
out of place here, for tho league of nations plnnjj
to slay another tyrant, the god of Avar tho
only despot that rivals King Alcohol in cruelty.
Tho President does not exaggerate the import
ance of the treaty when he flays It begins a noiv
era. It does evon more than that. It Is not too
much to hope that It may "Inaugurate on earth
the reign of the prince of peace". The covenant
of tho Loaguo of Nations contains three provi
sions .which, taken together, make war almost
impossible. First, all international disputes are
to be Investigated before war; second, arma
ments are to be, reduced, and third, secret
treaties are to bo abolished.
The senate Is quite sure to ratify the treaty,
including tho League of Nations; if it doew not
ratify, a senate will be elected that will ratify.
The American people will not turn back to tho
old ways 'of blood and slaughter.
And now that peace has been restored tho
Christian church faces a supreme duty, the duty
of healing the wounds of war and uniting all
the nations in an universal brotherhood. Per
manent peace can rest upon no other foundation. ,
The spirit of Christ at work among men, and
that alone, can crown the League of Nations
with success and make the war out of which
we have just emerged the last war to redden
this old earth with blood.
May wo not remark that for a lot of chaps
who have been firmly convinced for years that
prohibition does not prohibit, tho brewers and
their political satellites- exhibit some very un
mistakable fears that the end of tho world has
come for them.
Every housekeeper who has the Job of urging
a reluctant husband to cut the h.wn when It needs
It can understand just how Germany feels about
carrying out the commands of the peace treaty.
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