BIBULOUS POLITICIANS WARNED

Hokitika Guardian, 16 June 1928, Page 3

BIBULOUS POLITICIANS WARNED

Dry voting hut wet drinking statesmen in both Houses of Congress received a rude shock when the “ Washington News ” announced editorially that it “ proposes, from this time forward, to publish as news the appearance on duty of any so-called dry member of the House or Senate in an obviously intoxicated condition.” The warning was admittedly intended to prevent a repetition of the scenes enacted in the closing hours of the last session of Congress, when one Senator, recognised as a leading champion of prohibition, had to he led out of the Senate chamber and four or five others groped their way in and out of the cloak rooms in full view of the galleiy crowds. “The spectacle of a Senator or a representative,” the editorial asserted, “under the influence of liquor undertaking publicly to discuss affairs of State is always disgusting. When such i\ Senator or representative is one who consistently votes for prohibition, the hypocrisy and rank abuse of special privilege makes the spectacle intolerable.” It is not the purpose of the paper to conduct a “ snooping campaign,” according to the editorial, nor will the paper’s reporters waste their time analysing the breath of statesmen. ..But” the editorial continued, “wlien a five-eating prohibitionist wanders aimlesslyjcobout the Senate Chamber during the discussion, and finally Terrupts to ask the presiding officer, 1 wlmsTibizness before House? owhen a similar exponent of the lolstead Act has to hang hard to the edge of his desk, while his legs weave unsteadily under hlm.-as he attempts to make a speech, or when a champion of the 18th amendment relapses nom maudlin inattention into snoring sleep i„ the midst of a Senate session, the ‘ News ’ will undertake to make Ins condition clear to its readers.”