The White Ribbon. "For God, and Home, and Humanity" WELLINGTON, MAY 1, 1949 U.S.A. W.C.T.U. HEADQUARTERS

White Ribbon, Volume 21, Issue 4, 1 May 1949, Page 4

The White Ribbon. "For God, and Home, and Humanity" WELLINGTON, MAY 1, 1949 U.S.A. W.C.T.U. HEADQUARTERS

Conclusion of Address by Mrs. Kasper given at Convention, 1949 I wish 1 could take you over the United States Headquarters of the National W.C.T.U. This description was written by Mrs. 1). Leigh Colvin, National President, for the benefit of members and friends of the \N C. T.U. who have never had the opportunity of seeing National Headquarters. Located in Evanston, Illinois, a beautiful residential city of 65,000 people, on Lake Michigan, and just north of Chicago. The imposing red brick building which is the National Headquarters is directly in the rear of Rest Cottage, the beloved home of Frances E. W illard. At the Headquarters arc the officers of the National working force of the Union, the three resident general officers, the General Secretaries of the Youth Temperance Council and the Loyal Temperance Legion for Children, on the same floor are the officers of the Research Department and the three Editors. On the first floor is the wellstocked publishing house, the circulation department of the two official papers—“ The Union Signal” (Weekly) and the “Young Crusader” (Monthly) for children. The Frances E. Willard Memorial Library for Alcohol Research is entered from the floor also. Here are some 4,000 books dealing

with all phases of the alcohol problem and allied subjects. The office of the National Director of Scientific Temv perance instruction is next to the Library. THIRTY-SIX persons are employed at that Headquarters, the Librarian and Heads of departments are available daily to the many \isitors who come for consultation. Rest Cottage, originally built by the father of Frances E. Willard and later made into a 17-room double house, i« now an historic museum holding remembrances of the W illard family, Frances VVillard in particular, as well as those of the \\ orld Organisation and Anna Gordon. I his famous house is three blocks from Lake Michigan and two and a halt from North-western University CampThe National W.CT.U., organised in 1874, has held a position of leadership in the Temperance movement and today not only comnrnds the respect and admiration of *he briends of Total Abstinence and prohibition blit the respect and concern of those engaged in the 1 quor business. Ihe W.C.T.U. has spent thousands of dollars in the production and distribution of six motion pictures and seven slide films. These are in constant use in schools and before a variety of assembly and are the groundwork ol the educational programme o* other organisations. TEACHERS are trained at Headquarters as alcohol education specialists who go out to teach at High Schools and Universities. Legislation. For years Mrs. Flizabeth Smart ha*- been a most efficient and popular director of the W.C.T.U. bureau of Legislation in \\ aslungton D.C. Not a session of Congress or Committee sits without Miss Smart or some representatives of the W.C.T.L. being present. Every move is watched closely and a Washington letter goes out to the world in the “Union Signal.” Prohibition members of Congress bring down Bills on behalf of Temperance Forces and often the officers give evidence before the Senate. At present Senator Capper h«.> a Bill before the House on Liquor Advertising and every L nion in the States makes representation to their member when legislation affecting !he W.C.T.U., etc. is before Senate. Mrs. Mackie and 1 had the pleasure of attending the House with Miss Smart, then having luncheon with her. We then went to her office—two rooms loaded with literature and all sorts of information. Miss Smart jias two

secretaries working for ner. It is a terrific piece of work. Just imagine, Miss Smart, with her assistants, keep in touch with every State in America when any Bill is before the House when action is to Le taken. Conventions. The National Annual Comention is a noted event in the States. The la.? t one was held in Portland, Oregon, 2,000 delegates at tended. Twenty-eight committees prepared and carried out the programme. Thirty-three women were placed in church pulpits during Convention qnd were very much commended. Outstanding speakers from highly regarded authorities in many fields — sue!- persons as Dr. Andrews Conway Ivy of the University of Illinois, Mrs* Induk Pahk of Korea, Judge Matthew \\\ Hill of the Supreme Court of the State of Washington and Dr. Russell Morse Brougher of Long Beach, California. EVERY STA TE in the United States holds an Annual Convention and every one Tows progress, increased membership and increased interest and lap? for the return of prohibition. Prohibition. At the recent election Kansas lost the poll for the prohibition of hard liquor, the enemies of prohibition made a lot of that but they did not report that 14 Counties retained the dry state. They could have reported that 15 Counties in North Carolina and Georgia voted overwhelmingly against sale of liquor, that Local Option is winning all along the line. The First Politician. In the cool < the day under a low descending a .vet politician wiggled his wa* the Garden and beguiled our First Parents saying “Hath God said ‘Yes ye shall surely die?’ Ye shall not surely die—eat of the tree of knowledge, it will make you wise. EAT, it will open your eyes,” and ever since, drinkers have called their morning drahm —anfcye opener. Thev get that from the devil and.mankind has been seeing things and going down ever since. God did not repeal his prohibition law in Fxlen because Man vfrdated it. He put up a flaming sword at the gates of Eden to keep the way of life, banished the violator, sentenced him for hard labour for life, saying “ In the sweat of thy face thou shalt cat bread until thou return unto the ground” and God cursed the Serpent. What had the Devil done? REPEALED PROHIBITION, the worst

curse that e\er befell the earth and the worst misfortune that ever befell this country was the repeal of Prohibition and its coming back. As Jesus slid to His disconsolate disciples, “ Be of good cheer, 1 will come again," SO W ILL PROHIBITION. In conclusion, 1 hope 1 have been able to bring to you some of the wonderful Temperance work our VV.C.T.U. sisters are doing in the United States, and which from there, has extended over the world. I am proud of being a member of the W.C.T.U., proud that New Zealand is doing, in a small way, the work started m the US A. I loved the conratfe of the sisters in America when they declared that “ Prohibition is coining hack" —and they believed it. It is only whin one is in America that one realises the terrible odds against them. Let us, with them, “ Keep on keeping on."