Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on January 19, 1931.
CHESTERTON W.C.T.U. AND VALPARAISO VISITORS JOIN IN CELEBRATING THE DRY LAW
(By Mrs. Effie Earle)
It was family night for the Chesterton W.C.T.U. (Woman’s Christian Temperance Union) on last Friday night and it was victory night as well, the 11th anniversary of the 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution. So five women from Valparaiso went over to Chesterton to join in the celebration. Fathers, mothers, children grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, sat down to long tables at 6:30 p.m. dinner in the dining room of the Swedish Methodist church, with Mrs. Glowe presiding.
After the dinner four talks were given, that one would be willing to go a long way to hear. Rev. Bagby, of the Methodist church spoke on Temperance Education. He thinks that it was the nation-wide temperance education in homes, in schools, in churches, that prompted this generation to write the 18th Amendment into the constitution. This education afterward, that has brought about the hue and cry for annulment, and that now we must push this temperance education anew, do the work over again, because we failed in the follow-up work.
Rev. Seaberg of the Swedish Methodist church had for his subject, “How Citizens May Cooperate in Law Enforcement.” He enlarged upon two phases: first, that of beginning at home, and being a good citizen, a law abiding citizen; and, second, the use of the ballot box. Do not fail to vote at primary and general elections, and then stand back of your officers.
Rev. Palmer of the Evangelical church of Porter, spoke on “Observance and Enforcement”, which was a continuation of the last topic. The story he told was a splendid illustration, and carried a rebuke to the American citizen. Told briefly, it was of a noted talented German who came to New York professionally for a short time. He was dined each evening by kindred Americans who attempted to wine him as well as dine him. Each time his glass was left untasted, though each time a different wine was served hoping to tempt him. At last the hostess obtained some wine imported from Germany, but this met with the same result. So they made bold to inquire the reason of the guest’s refusal. Said the German, “The United States has a prohibition law. While I am in the United States I shall obey her laws.”
The last speaker of the evening was Dr. Carlson and his subject “Then and Now.” Dr. Carlson said as there was no time limit on “Then” he would go back to Abraham. He said there were three glaring sins which had been outlawed by the white race: first, human sacrifice; second, slavery; and third, intoxicating liquor. That it had taken years of evolution to do each, and that even at the present there were places on the earth where human sacrifice and slavery was still practiced, and that as long as the world stood these three, inhuman sins would still persist; that the first two were so near disappearing that they have ceased to be glaring, but that the third must still be pushed farther and farther into the discard by the white race which holds the torch of civilization.
He denied the statement that there is more drinking since the 18th Amendment, using facts, figures and illustrations. Altogether this was a most enjoyable and profitable meeting.
