PROHIBITION: Confusion

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The prohibition question became involved again in its continual melee by an unexpected turn of events. The Church Temperance Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church, an organization of many years' standing, devoted first to temperance and then to prohibition, last week decided to throw over prohibition and return to temperanceroclaimed a new hero, the Rev. Dr. James Empringham, Secretary of the society.

It was Dr. Empringham who announced the new policy of the society at a meeting in Manhattan. He was formerly National Vice President of the Anti-Saloon League and New York State Superintendent of the Anti-Saloon League. He told that in 1917 his society had sent out a questionnaire to 15,000 members and received responses showing that by far the greater number favored prohibition. He told that about a year ago he set out to write a pamphlet to show that prohibition was a success, but after going about making investigations changed his mind. He sent out a questionnaire to 20,000 members of the society a few months ago and found a great change in sentiment towards modification of the Volstead Act. He declared:

"If ten men on a jury were professional burglars and believed robbery an honorable profession, it would be useless to try a man for robbery.

"We are in favor of a modification of the Volstead Act to permit the sale of beer and wine because: 1) the effect of prohibition has been to put an end to scientific temperance teaching; 2) it has resulted in increased drinking among young people; 3) it has discouraged the consumption of wine and beer and increased the demand for distilled liquors, which today are mostly poisonous; 4) it has brought about disrespect for all laws; 5) it is class legislation discriminating in favor of the rich; 6) it has increased intemperance.

"If the money now spent in a futile attempt at enforcement were added to the revenue we might have from beer and wine, and one-tenth of this sum were spent to educate the people in scientific temperance, it would be more effective toward the physical and moral well-being of our people."

The Rev. Dr. G. A. Carstensen, newly elected President of the society, stood behind his Secretary, saying: "As long as the Volstead Act is there, it is the duty of good citizens to obey it, but I recognize the right of good citizens to ask for modification."

And remarking of the Anti-Saloon League: "Let me be understood clearly. I find that their methods are not distinguished by meticulous regard to limits imposed by facts."

Naturally the prohibitionists were angry at this defection. They declared that the Temperance Society did not represent the Episcopal Church (which is true). They doubted whether the Temperance Society was still in existence; whether it had 20,000 members (Dr. Empringham declared that his society had nearly 100,000 members, although not all were in good standing).