" Law or Liquor "

"Twelve miles north-by-east of Columbus, Ohio, is the center of American morality," declared a Wet editor, referring to Westerville, Ohio. At Westerville 40 state superintendents of the Anti-Saloon League held a three-day convention to draw up plans for the coming year. On comparing notes, they agreed that the Atlantic states are not more than 50% dry and the country as a whole not more than 70% dry, and they decided that the next five years would be the hardest for them--that full enforcement of the Volstead Act cannot be attained before 1930.

They also drew up a platform of "recommendations" including: 1) that federal prohibition agents be placed under the civil service; 2) that churches elect no officers who are not out-and-out Drys; 3) that Congress use the Army and Navy to enforce the Volstead Act; 4) that the three-mile limit be extended to drive rum runners farther off shore; 5) that all state and national light-wine-and-beer proposals be defeated.

Of New York State's recent repeal of its prohibition enforcement law the assembly declared: "This action, and any other act of nullification, merits the indignation of true Americans everywhere and presages early political oblivion for its perpetrators.''

It was asserted that action similar to New York's was threatened in ten states: Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, California, Missouri, Nevada, Louisiana. To meet this condition the convention resolved to raise a war chest of $2,580,000. General Superintendent Baker declared : " We are prepared to match their (the Wets') strength dollar for dollar."

Delegates from eleven Southern states issued a declaration that they would urge voters to vote the Republican ticket if the Democrats nominated a Wet (such as Governor Smith or Senator Underwood) for President in 1924.

In a final proclamation the meeting set forth: "The opposing forces are drawn up for the supreme struggle. It is law or liquor; the Constitution or anarchy."