Filing Out the Banner

(E.d. Note--The Crimson does not necessarily endorse opinions expressed in printed communications. No attention will be paid to anonymous letters and only under special conditions, at the request of the writer will names be with held.)

It seems a pity that the vaporings of an uninformed mind should be dignified by the majesty of print; but since this has occurred in the mail of Tuesday's CRIMSON, it is fitting that that gentleman should have been given the opportunity of enlightening himself, and that this letter should endeavor to correct out erroneous impression gathered by the readers of yesterday's CRIMSON.

The Crusaders is an organization which has existed for less than two years. The Prohibition movement gathered momentum for seventy years before it was adopted; therefore it seems little short of infantile to say, "that it is not adult to start with a bang and accomplish nothing."

The Crusaders organization has accomplished much in its short lifetime. It actively supported Senator-Elect Lewis of Illinois, Joseph Ely and Marcus Coolidge of Massachusetts; assisted materially in the defeat of the Baby Volstead Act in this state. In Pennsylvania it supported Hemphill against. Pinchot for governor, and although defeated Hemphill polled a 225,000 majority in Philadelphia, the Crusaders greatest stronghold in the state.

It would be easy to continue thus, mentioning the able men the Crusaders have supported and helped put into office because of their fearless and intelligent conception of the prohibition menace; pointing out the number of mass meetings, speakers, radio talks, paid advertisements, and other wet propaganda that the Crusaders have set in motion. A catalogue of this sort, however, would only fall under the head of statistics and as such would be of no interest here.

As regards the mistaken statement that the Crusaders support indiscriminately all wet candidates, we would first point out that the success of the passing of the 18th Amendment was achieved through the indiscriminate support of dry candidates. Second we would point out that the Crusaders support wet candidates, but only those who have at heart the welfare of the country, and honestly believe that it is jeopardized by prohibition. In short, the Crusaders is a non-partisan organization placing the defect of prohibition above all party politics.

Lastly, the Crusaders believe that through militant organization and in no other way can they attain their goal. They think that there never has been a time when a dollar will go as far as it will in the forthcoming elections to Congress. Thomas B. Eastland, Jr. '33.   Philip Boyer, Jr. '33.