WHAT “WETS” AND “DRYS,” THESE DAYS,
ARE TELLING EACH OTHER IN HALLS OF CON
GRESS ABOUT PROHIBITION AND ENFORCEMENT
The prohibition question, likewise
its enforcement, is one of the great
est agitating the statesmen at Wash
ington these days, and it is a poor
day when the Congressional Record'
does not contain a few pages devoted
to the remarks of either “wet” dr
“dry” Senators or Representatives.
That readers may get a closer view
of arguments orr this momentous mat
ter, The Kusko Times, for the next
few issues, will devote some spate for
the enlightenment and edification of
those whom it may intefest.
Following is a speech by Hon.
Kmanuel feller, of Ndw York, deliv
ered on March 10 in the House of
Representatives:
(The'-House in Committee of the
Whole House on the state of the
Union had under consideration the
oill If. R. 1010ft making appropriation
for the’government of the District of
Columbia and other activities charge
able in whole or ui part against the
revenues of such District for the fis
cal -year-ending June 30, 1027, and for
other purposes.)
Mr. Celler. Mr. Chairman and
members of the committee, T assure
you gentlemen ■ that' the remarks of
the gentleman from Nebraska1 (Mr.
Howard) in tefling ns how to make a
Manhattan .eockthil very likely awak
ened emotions of recognition within
most members who are present this
morning. (Lkughterc) However, it all
goes back, I am sure, to what the
very distinguished senator, Mr. Bruce,
recently said, that the country is di
vided into two classes—those who
have a littld'stifl and those who still
have a ittle. (Laughter.)
In connection with that subject
there is being conducted now by • a
great many metropolitan dailies
throughout the country a prohibition
referendum, and so important to my
mind is that referendum that I think
the matter should Be'called to the1 at
tention of the members of the House
and of the country.
For the benefit of gentlemen who
come from far Western States T want
to direct attention to the fact that
the Denver Post—and lam glad to see
a member of the Colorado delegation
(Mr. Timberlake) present—Conducted
a poll, and the results show an over
whelming moist, damp sentiment, not
ony in the' State - of Colorado but
throughout the Rocky Mountain area,
and the'final figures for the poll con
ducted by the Denver-Post, from Feb
ruary 12 to February 22, shows that
the answer to the question on prohi
bition was yes to the extent of 20,706,
and against prohibition 70,700. That
is a margin against - prohibition of
58,944.
They conducted a secondary poll
with reference to the modification, lib
eralizing the Volstead act for the pur
pose of legalizing the manufacture,
sale and distribution of light wines
and beer. Those who voted for lib
eralization were 83,356, and against
only 18,999, leaving a margin in favor
o fwines and beer to the extent of
64,357. Thus the supposedly arid re
gion of the Rocky Mountain States is
“wet” by more than 4 to 1.
Mr. Blanton. Will the gentleman
yield ?
Mr. Celler. I yield to the gentle
man from Texas.
Mr. Blanton. If there is such a
strong sentiment in the United States
for wines and beer as the gentleman
would indicate from the quotation of
[McGrath {
IPoolHalli
;-!
!; Cigars |
Tobaccos ;
Candies - j
Fruits
Soft Drinks
I A Place to Meet
Your Friends
Geo. Mutchler
Proprietor
these statistics, it ought to be a very
easy matter for the wets to stack this
House with members in favor of mod
ification. T predict that you will not
have five votes more than you have
now.
Mr. Celler. If the gentleman’s pre
diction is like all his other predic
tions he wil find he is mistaken.
Mr. Blanton. The most you have
bee nable to corral recently is 37
votes by actual count.
Mr. Celler. I will say that most of
the members in this House are very
much like the leaning tower of l’isa;
they have the inclination but they
dare not fall. (Laughter.) I am sure
that this poll that is now being taken
indicative of the situation throughout
the country is going to make a great
many members of the House fal.
Mr. O’Connor (of New York). Is it
not a fact, because of that poll, that
two Senators from Colorado fell ?
Mr. Celler. I think the gentleman
is correct. The gentleman from
Texas reminds me of an Irish lady in
my district. She said to me, •'Con
gressman, I am not going to read the
Literary Digest any more.” I said,
“Why, Mi's. McDowd?” She says:
“The* Literary Digest always pub
lishes two sides of the Irish question.
I’ll not read it. There is only one side
of the Irish question.” (Laughter.)
The gentleman from Texas can see
only one side of the prohibition ques
tion.
Mr. Blanton. Woud the gentleman
yield after that?
Mr. Celler. I yield.
Mr. Blanton. Whenever the lean
ing tower of Pisa falls, the gentleman
may expect some dry Congressman to
fall.
Mr. Celler. The gentleman would
better look out that he does not fall.
With reference to the poll in the
Rocky Mountain area, let me say that
that area has always been the back
bone of the prohibition movement.
That was the most arid section of the
country. 1 took a trip to the West
only recently, to be exact, last Oc
tober. I stopped in the city of Den
ver and in other parts of Colorado. I
assure you, my good friends, I found
from my own observation that Colo
rado was quite moist, and nobody
ever wanted for any of the delectable
liquids one might desire. There were
always those ready and willing and
able to serve one not only in the city
of Denver but in most parts of Coo
rado.
Now with reference to the poll con
ducted by the Denver Post, the total
votes, including the straight dry and
wet ballots and the -split ballots, in
which voters expressed themselves on
only one of the two questions sub
mitted, was approximately 110,000. 1
have read qou the way the vote went,
but the response, so the paper states
in its edition of February 23, “is all
the more significant when it is consid
ered that the total number of ballots
cast in Denver is more than 50 per
cent of the normal city vote in a
presidential eection year, while the
total vote for the entire State of Col
orado is more than 25 per cent of that
normally polled in the most important
election.” It also states that “the
Post’s prohibition toll Is all the more
surprising in that the referendum was
indorsed by the drys and opposed by
the wets. The poll was begun on
February 12, and two days later a
wet organization in Denver published
a newspaper advertisement advising
the peope not to vote, and the Colo
rado division officers of the Associa
tion Against the Prohibition Amend
| ment called on all members of the
I organization and all members in
; favor of modification not to vote.
While the leaders of the wet move
: ment were urging their followers not
, to take part in the poll, the Colorado
1 Anti-Saloon League and other dry or
1 ganizations were waging a state-wide
campaign to get out their votes. Ap
! peals for the people to rally to the
l support of prohibition were voiced
* from almost every Colorado pulpit.
| Ballot boxes were put in a large num
ber of churches and the votes collect
i ed there were delivered to the Post.
No ballots were accepted, says the
[ newspaper, which did not bear the
[signature and address of the person
i voting. The average daily circulation
| of the Denver Post is 163,000. That
i the total number of balots cast is 52,
; 000 fewer than the total number
j printed and circulated forestalls any
| claim that there was ballot stuffing.
’ Mr. Chairman, I commend that poll
j. and also this statement which I shall
i now read to the delegation from the
j State of Colorado. Mind you, the
i Post states that it has always been
consistently for prohibition. Itf has
been in favor of the prohibition aw,
and it has this to say:
“The owners of the Post have al
ways been in favor of prohibition, and
in spite of the result of the referen
dum vote on the subject we are as
strong for prohibition as ever. The
Post believes that the unprecedented
prosperity, growth and development
of our country during the past few
years is due to prohibition more than
to any other cause.”
_ So It will he seen that the tendyn
cies of the Post were pro-prohibition,
that they were all in that direction. It
attributes, for example—of course, er
roneously—the-prosperity of the coun
try to prohibition; hut nevertheless
we may he sure, because of its prohi
bition proclivities, that it conducted
this poll in a fair and impartial man
ner. The poll inlicated the wet senti
ment of the people of Colorado. Col
orado Congressmen had better make
their votes consistent with that senti
ment. The paper further says:
“The Post is of the opinion that it1
will take many generations, if ever,'
for the people of the United States to
consent to bring back upon them
selves the curse of saloons and. liquor.
The referendum vote recently taken
by the Post on this question was a
very great surprise to us.”
And so it must be to the gentleman
from Texas (Mr. Blanton).
But this vote clearly shows a very j
radical change in public sentiment'
during the last few years.
Mr. Weller. Mr. Chairman, will
the gentleman yield?
Mr. Celler. Yes.
Mr. Weller. Is there a State en
forcement act in the State of Colo
rado ?
Mr. Celler. There is.
Mr. Weller. Was that adopted at,
or about the time the other enforce
ment acts wore adopted, or only re
cently ?
Mr. Celler. 1 think it was adopted
before national prohibition went into
effect.. The gentleman fro mColorado
(Mr. Timbeiiake) may be able to en-j
lighten us upon the subject.
Mr. Timbeiiake. Will the gentle-!
man yield ? )
Mr. Celler. Certainly.
Mr. Timberlake. Mr. Chairman, I
have been very much interested in the |
acount the gentleman has given of the ;
referendum conducted by the Denverj
Post. 1 have seen the result of that1
referendu mvote. I want to confirm j
what was stated a few moments ago)
—that Colorado was dry many years ‘
before we had national jprohibition,;
and it. was dry. I do not know from ;
what source the gentleman speaking j
was able to give the testimony that it
was a very easy matter to get liquor;
of any kind in the State of Colorado
during his visit there last year. It,
must have been exceptional places'
that he visited, because 1 have a very 1
good knowledge of conditions in Colo-|
rado, and I think today under the en-l
forcement law that it is one of the!
dryest States in the Union.
Mr. Celler. It perhaps is like the]
case of a prohibition official walking!
along with a citizen and remarking,
"it is great to walk here and not see.
a saloon.” To which the citizen re
plied: “It is greater for me to know
that the saloons are still here al
though we can not see them.”
Mr. O’Connor, of New York. Mr.
Chairman, will the gentleman yield'.’
Mr. Timberlake. Yes.
Mr. O’Connor, of New York. Has!
it not always been the view that in
Colorado the. drinking of liquor was ;
especially dangerous on account of
climatic conditions?
Mr. Timberlake. I do not know,
hut it might have had some deterrent (
effect; L do not know as to that. Fur
ther, with reference to the referen-j
dum vote, the Denver Post is a won-;
derful paper. It circulates through I
many Stares throughout the Union.
Mr. Ceder. Would the gentleman!
say that it is a very fair paper?
Mr. Timberlake. 1 do not know'
that 1 would deny that statement. i
Mr. Celler. W’oukl the gentleman,
say that the poll conducted was fairly ,
conducted ?
Mr. Timberlake. I do not knowj
with regard to that.
Mr. Celler. Did the gentleman vote ‘
on that ballot?
Mr. Timberlake. I know one thing,
that it does not represent the senti
ment of the citizens of the State of ]
Colorado. I know and I have reason |
to heiieve that very many of the
votes cast in favor of a modification
[of the Volstead Act by the manufac-j
ture of light wine and beer came from ;
subscribers to the Post, a great many
of them, I have an idea, from the
j State of New York and other States
through which the paper circulates.
Mr. Celler. It is very difficult to
understand the statement made by the
gentleman from Colorado that people
from New York and residents of New
York voted on this poll. There are
hardly ary New York subscribers. 1
| will say to the gentleman that the
i Denver Post, as I have been informed,
i has been insisting in every instance
j the name and address of the man or
woman who voted could be registered
on the poll submitted. It is absurd to
discredit the poll in that illogical
fashion.
Mr. LaGuardia. If the gentleman
will permit, I would like to inquire of
the gentleman from Colorado if it is
not true that in and around the city
of Denver they have more roadhouses
and speak-easies since prohibition,
and they have had a great deal of
trouble with young people going out
to these roadhouses and drinking
hooch ?
Mr. Timberlake. If I may he per
mitted to answer the question, 1 want
to say to the gentleman his opinion
is entirely wrong. (Applause.)
Mr. LaGuardia. That is the infor
mation that I got in Denver two years
ago while there.
Mr. Timberlake. I am very well
acquainted with the surroundings of
Denver, and there are no roadhouses
in the vicinity at the present time.
(Applause.)
Mr. LaGuardia. And no liquor
drank ?
Mr. Timberlake. I will not say ab
solutely that.
Mr. Blanton. Mr. Chairman, I
make the point of order it is entirely
unfair for the five New York men to
jump on one Colorado man.
The Chairman. That is not a point
of order.
Mr. Blanton. The gentleman can
hold his own, but it is rather unfair.
Mr. Weller. Will the gentleman
yield ?
Mr. Celler. I will.
Mr. Weller. I want to ask the gen
tleman from olorado if it is not a
fact that one can get easily a kick in
the city of Denver without having a
Manhattan cocktail?
Mr. Timberlake. You can get a
kick from the climate there without
any intoxicant.
Mr. Hill if Maryland. How is the
poll from the Hearst papers—
Mr. Cellor. I am coming to that. I
say also if the gentleman from Colo
rado goes to Colorado and speaks to
Judge Ben Lindsay, of Denver, who
probably kr-iws more about the condi
tion of the young in Denver than any
man living, because he conducts the
juvenile cm rt there and presides over
matters of juvenile delinquency—1 am
sure the gentleman from Colorado
will ’ ‘led out of his senses. A
sation with Judge Ben
o the drinking and the
increase in drinking of
e in the city of Denver
cons will be surprising. I
1. m to a great many people
in Denver, including policemen, and I
have specifically asked where I could
buy something stronger than wines
and beer, and the answers were indi
cative of the fact that Denver is as
wet as a s ;aked sponge. The news
papers of ' he country are deserving
of gTeat commendation, particularly
those who are now conducting these
polls.
Mr. Timberlake., Will the gentle
man yield
Mr. Celler. Yes.
Mr. Timberlake. I am rather inter
ested in . lowing, after listening to
the last statement of the gentleman
from New York, whether after secur
ing the ii formation that he says he
had no difficulty in securing from the
policemen of Denver, whether he pur
chased the liquor in Denver?
Mr. Cel'er. 1 am not a drinking
man. 1 do not care whether all the
whisky in creation is utterly de
stroyed, but I do have consideration
of the rights of other people in refer
ence to their personal habits. I do
not drink whisky, and would not drink
the stuff I would be likely to get in
the city of Denver.
(Continued in Next: Issue.)
One gratifying impression we get
fro mmob rn theological discussions
is that hell is not as hot as it was
forty years ago.—Toledo Blade.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS.
In the Commissioner's Court, at Mc
Grath, Mount McKinley Precinct,
Fourth Division, Territory of
Alaska, before \V. T. Vandcrpool,
U. S. Commissioner and ex-officio
Probate Judge.
In the matter of the es'ate of John
Mark McDonald, deceased.
Notice is hereby given that the un
dersigned has been duly appointed ad
ministrator of the estate of John
Mark McDonald, deceased.
All persons having claims against
said estate are required to present
same, duly verified, with proper vouch
ers attached, to the undersigned, at
McGrath. Alaska, within six (6)
months from date of this notice.
Dated: McGrath, Alaska, April 22,
11)26. GEORGE A. GREEN,
Administrator.
First publication, April 24, lt)£G.
Last publication, May 21), llJ26.
•• J. LL McLEAN •• I
Fresh Fruits Fresh Vegetables ;
Plenty of Nuts
Choice Canned Goods
Meats
Fresh Garden Seeds
i
Middle age is that period in life
when you frequently have occasion to
try to recall what it was you ate the
day before.—Ohio State Journal.
We judge by information provided
by the Department of Justice that
Andrew W. Mellon is merely the
small investor about whom you hear
so much.—Louisville Times.
PROFESSIONAL
Mrs. Jean McLean
Notary Public
Tokotua, Alaska
aiirorv
Front Street, Tokotna
Mrs. Fred Dubois - Prop.
Tokotna
CiAar Store
Tobaccos
Cigars
Soft Drinks
Proprietor
i
! Fred Dubois j
| CHARLIE’S j
j LAUNDRY ;
McGrath, Alaska
1 --•
j A Bath in a Real ]
i Bath Tub J
j Shoe Repairing j
j Sign Writing
Paper Hanging
! --— |
Charles Rebhun [
The Handy Man |