REGARDING-MRS. IDA B. WISE SMITH

White Ribbon, Volume 18, Issue 2, 1 March 1946, Page 6

REGARDING-MRS. IDA B. WISE SMITH

Ex-National President, U.S.A. W.C.T.U. An article of quite peculiar interest to W.C.T.U. members the world over appeared in a ‘‘Readers’ Digest” last year, entitled “God’s Angry Lady.” This referred to the then national president, U.S.A., Mrs. Ida B. Wise Smith, who retired from office \t the 1044 convention after eleven years as president.

In the article, the writer drew a graphic picture of Mrs. Smith’s methods in dealing openly with all her energy with the hosts of e\il in their activities connected with the liquor traffic. The article is certainly illuminating.

“Once,” says the writer, “when lowa’s liquor dealers held their convention in Cedar Rapids and were greeted officially by the mayor, the doughty Mrs. Smith prepared her own ‘greetings.’

“ ‘Shall we greet you as those who wreck homes, debauch manhood, prostitute womanhood, disgrace and impovensh childhood?’ she asked in a pamphlet that has since been translated into twelve languages. ‘Shall we j’.reet you as those who place upon the tax-payer the heaviest burden in caring for the results of your traffic?’

“The pamphlets showered down upon Cedar Rapids like rain, and the conventioneers were felled like ninepins by her broadside.” Reference is made to the fact that through her “legions” Mrs. Smith is able to have temperance gospel “trumpeted on the air and in the newspapers.'' and evidently there is little trouble in basing temperance dramas and speeches put over the air, when she provides the transcriptions free. “As a twenty-year-old lass she burned when she read that Gticago saloon-keepers had invited children into an adjoining room and given them a mixture of whiskey and lemonade,” continues the writer. “Mrs. Smith’s dogan-makers coin signs that people remember, to the sorrow of the liquor dealers, who ha\e ceased laughing her off a*- ‘just one of these reformers.’ ‘'' Friendly Glass May Cause An UnFriendly Crash !’ is a typical road sigti erected by local branches of the W.C.T.U.

“One of the W.C.T.U.’s many pamphlets is called ‘How to have Fun without Hangovers.’ An habitual drunkard in Detroit picked up I’nc piece and found to his surprise that he could have fun without drinking. He attributes his happy home life today to the cheerful advice in the pamphlet.

“In Massachusetts the influence of the W.C.T.U. is so profound that liquor advertisers are forbidden by law to pictures, names, characters or phrases lifted from the Bible. “Icia Smith has no patience with polite hush-hushing of any social evils, especially those die attributes to the

operations of 400,000 retail liquor outlets. ‘1 say, talk abcut it,’ she says cracklingly. ‘When thousands of women set out to talk about a tiling, it's apt to come about. The same elements responsible for repeal may bring about the repeal of repeal.’ ” Some years ago, Mrs. Smith backed the city fathers of Rochester into a corner by asking why they allowed relief clients to cash checks in saloons. “So taxpayers are now setting up the drinks to persons on relief!” she purred. The situation was soon changed. In Dallas, a group of high school disciples of the W.C.T.U. went out and bought 170 bottles of whiskey, wine and beer, although all were under age. Mrs. Smith’s organ published their photograph revealing them standing next to a table laden with their illicit purchases. Worried Dallas “cops” tightened up on such illegal sales after that.

Getting hack to the liquor people—their mood is positively indigo, thanks to Mrs. Smith’s sorties. As one Chicago distributer mourned: “If only she’d have stayed in lowa, everything would have been jake ?” So the article concludes. As W.C. T.l . members, we are proud to realise something of the effect produced by the devotion to the cause of Mrs. Smith and her “legions.” Inspiration follows on the reading of such a story. Opportunity awaits us here in New Zealand to us<. some of the weapons indicated in this article. We have a “slogan" competition and a leaflet competition in progress now, hut there is no need for our ideas to remain dormant even v hen the closing date is past, for our Dominion officers are always delighted to receive suggestions along these lines.