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Woman's Christian Temperance Union minutes, Grinnell, Iowa, 1913-1928

Page 43

The W.C.T.U. County Institute was held Feb. 10, 1932, in the Congregational Church at Grinnell, Iowa. Mrs. Robert Lincoln, past president, conducted the morning meeting. The afternoon meeting was presided over by Mrs. C.S. George, president of the Grinnell Union. Mrs. Vista J. Baker of Scarsboro served as secretary of the County Union and also as secretary pro tem of the Local Union. Devotions were led by Mrs. A.B. Caldwell.
Minutes of the last meeting were read and approved.
It was moved, seconded and carried that a bill of two dollars and fifty cents 9$2.50) be paid from the treasury of the local union for programs previously received.
Miss Bailey was appointed to engage a window for the W.C.T.U. bake sale.
Two members of the committee appoineted to visit the Public Schools gave their reports. Mrs. Kearney reported for Center School and Mrs. hess for Parker School.
The program of the meeting was very full and highly instructive. The Institute was well attended.
Mrs. James McKee
Secty.
W.C.T.U. Holds Enjoyable Anniversary Meeting
The anniversary meeting of the W.C.T.U. was held Jan. 19, 1932 with Rev. and Mrs. Robert Lincoln. Devotions were conducted by Rev. Mr. Lincoln who read from Exodus the story of the Children of Israel calling for relief from bondage to the Egyptians, paraphrasing in these words, "The mothers called unto the saloons for relief from bondage", and the answer, "Only ye shall not go far away", as "We will make an agreement". And the clamor for "The flesh pots of Egypt" as the unthoughted phrase, "the good old days of".
A pageant, arranged by Mrs. Lincoln was given by five members, dressed in costumes and carrying lighted candles. They entered the room chanting a missionary hymn. The Chinese woman was represented by Mrs. M.G. Hall, the Japanese by Mrs. Harry Brown, the Egyptian by Mrs. Jesse Lord, the Hindu woman by Miss Nellie Lincoln, the woman of Switzerland by Miss Alice Pearce. Each told of the form of intemperance prevailing in her own country, and how important it is to her own nation that America maintain her fine example of prohibition. Mrs. Lincoln, representing the United States, displayed the American flag, and reassured them by calling attention to the W.C.T.U. motto exhibited on the wall, "For God and Home and Every Land". A collection was taken from Missionary Temperance work, an annual contribution.
The pageant closed with the singign of a song, the words of which were composed for the occasion by a former member.
Mrs. C.E. Humphrey sang a solo, playing her own accompaniment, "Church in the Wildwood".
Rev. Robert Inglis was the speaker of the afternoon, and began by calling attention to three books borrowed from the Congregational Church Library, recommending their perusal, "The Noble Experiment" by Fisher, "The Church in Politics", by Stanley High, and "Prohibition and Common Sense" by Earl L. Douglas.
Dr. Inglis warned the Union not to feel that an easy victory lay before them, pointing out specific grave dangers.
He reviewed the notorious Literary Digest Poll, calling it the greatest straw vote in the world; not a true indication because multitudes of drys did not vote, yet nevertheless a very spectacular straw vote which exerts a certain influence. If the Raskob poll should be taken in the United States, although it would not be a true measure of convictions, it would be used as a basis for influence, and doubtless would serve as coercion upon congressment who did not concur personally.
A large part of Mr. inglis' address was a lucid review of an article in the Feb. 4, 1931 issue of the Christian Century, entitled The Wickersham Report. this magazine may be found at the city library. The article shows why the Wickersham report seems vague. One of the eleven men did not sign it. One signed it but contradicted by the individual opinion which he appended to the report. The wet press claims that the report is wet, because of the individual opinions appended; or worthless because they contradict the report. The wet press does not feature the points upon which nine of the eleven men wholeheartedly agree.
There are four salient features of the report. One, opposition to the return of the saloon. Two, opposition to nullification of the law by light wines and beer. Three, opposition to the government's going into the liquor business. Four, opposition to the relegation of the liquor question to the several states.
These are so fundamental and so impregnable that, if these structural recommendations become established in popular understanding, the permanency of the Eighteenth Amendment and its increasing effectiveness will be assured.
"The American flag," Mr. Inglis said, "should not be identified with national manufacture and sale of liquor."
In concluding, Mr. Inglis said there are forty organizations working for prohibition.
An educational maneuver is being set in action in the way of three-day conference to extend across the United States.

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The W.C.T.U. County Institute was held Feb. 10, 1932, in the Congregational Church at Grinnell, Iowa. Mrs. Robert Lincoln, past president, conducted the morning meeting. The afternoon meeting was presided over by Mrs. C.S. George, president of the Grinnell Union. Mrs. Vista J. Baker of Scarsboro served as secretary of the County Union and also as secretary pro tem of the Local Union. Devotions were led by Mrs. A.B. Caldwell. Minutes of the last meeting were read and approved. It was moved, seconded and carried that a bill of two dollars and fifty cents 9$2.50) be paid from the treasury of the local union for programs previously received. Miss Bailey was appointed to engage a window for the W.C.T.U. bake sale. Two members of the committee appoineted to visit the Public Schools gave their reports. Mrs. Kearney reported for Center School and Mrs. hess for Parker School. The program of the meeting was very full and highly instructive. The Institute was well attended. Mrs. James McKee Secty. W.C.T.U. Holds Enjoyable Anniversary Meeting The anniversary meeting of the W.C.T.U. was held Jan. 19, 1932 with Rev. and Mrs. Robert Lincoln. Devotions were conducted by Rev. Mr. Lincoln who read from Exodus the story of the Children of Israel calling for relief from bondage to the Egyptians, paraphrasing in these words, "The mothers called unto the saloons for relief from bondage", and the answer, "Only ye shall not go far away", as "We will make an agreement". And the clamor for "The flesh pots of Egypt" as the unthoughted phrase, "the good old days of". A pageant, arranged by Mrs. Lincoln was given by five members, dressed in costumes and carrying lighted candles. They entered the room chanting a missionary hymn. The Chinese woman was represented by Mrs. M.G. Hall, the Japanese by Mrs. Harry Brown, the Egyptian by Mrs. Jesse Lord, the Hindu woman by Miss Nellie Lincoln, the woman of Switzerland by Miss Alice Pearce. Each told of the form of intemperance prevailing in her own country, and how important it is to her own nation that America maintain her fine example of prohibition. Mrs. Lincoln, representing the United States, displayed the American flag, and reassured them by calling attention to the W.C.T.U. motto exhibited on the wall, "For God and Home and Every Land". A collection was taken from Missionary Temperance work, an annual contribution. The pageant closed with the singign of a song, the words of which were composed for the occasion by a former member. Mrs. C.E. Humphrey sang a solo, playing her own accompaniment, "Church in the Wildwood". Rev. Robert Inglis was the speaker of the afternoon, and began by calling attention to three books borrowed from the Congregational Church Library, recommending their perusal, "The Noble Experiment" by Fisher, "The Church in Politics", by Stanley High, and "Prohibition and Common Sense" by Earl L. Douglas. Dr. Inglis warned the Union not to feel that an easy victory lay before them, pointing out specific grave dangers. He reviewed the notorious Literary Digest Poll, calling it the greatest straw vote in the world; not a true indication because multitudes of drys did not vote, yet nevertheless a very spectacular straw vote which exerts a certain influence. If the Raskob poll should be taken in the United States, although it would not be a true measure of convictions, it would be used as a basis for influence, and doubtless would serve as coercion upon congressment who did not concur personally. A large part of Mr. inglis' address was a lucid review of an article in the Feb. 4, 1931 issue of the Christian Century, entitled The Wickersham Report. this magazine may be found at the city library. The article shows why the Wickersham report seems vague. One of the eleven men did not sign it. One signed it but contradicted by the individual opinion which he appended to the report. The wet press claims that the report is wet, because of the individual opinions appended; or worthless because they contradict the report. The wet press does not feature the points upon which nine of the eleven men wholeheartedly agree. There are four salient features of the report. One, opposition to the return of the saloon. Two, opposition to nullification of the law by light wines and beer. Three, opposition to the government's going into the liquor business. Four, opposition to the relegation of the liquor question to the several states. These are so fundamental and so impregnable that, if these structural recommendations become established in popular understanding, the permanency of the Eighteenth Amendment and its increasing effectiveness will be assured. "The American flag," Mr. Inglis said, "should not be identified with national manufacture and sale of liquor." In concluding, Mr. Inglis said there are forty organizations working for prohibition. An educational maneuver is being set in action in the way of three-day conference to extend across the United States.