Tips from Thomas

Augustus Thomas, playwright, "theatre Tsar," who once served as a page boy in the U. S. House of Representatives, injected his personality into politics last week by saying:

1) "I object to Church activities in politics. ... I don't want people to unite in benevolent conspiracies, headed by men of the W. H. Anderson type, telling us what to do with our laws. I am a Protestant, coming from an old line of Protestants, but I assert that it is of greater significance that I am an American coming from an old line of Americans. If I controlled the next Democratic National Convention I would name a Catholic. If we can't nominate a man for the Presidency unless he belongs to some particular sect it is time for us to find it out and furthermore, if that is true, then this country is not worth fighting for!"

2) The Volstead law is unconstitutional as proved by Elihu Root, Republican. "It is true that the United States Supreme Court did not agree with Mr. Root, but Root is superior to most of the members of that court-- especially since most of them have fallen into dotage."

These statements were made at the National Democratic Club, Manhattan, of which Thomas E. Rush is President. After the speech Mr. Thomas was interrogated. QUESTION: Why did the President veto the Volstead Act? ANSWER : Wilson vetoed it because he was a great historian and knew constitutional law. QUESTION: What effect did the absence of our men fighting overseas have on the enactment of the Volstead Act? ANSWER: "Well it took away 4,000,000 of our best drinkers and by that I mean men who took a little wine for their stomachs' sake."