Reasons for Church-wide Campaign

All over the Church it is known that there is in progress a Churchwide Campaign for the Non-use of Liquor and Tobacco. No thinking person will question the need of this campaign. Perhaps never in our history did "evils and designs — exist in the hearts of conspiring men" to induce the consumption of these narcotics to as great an extent as today. Subtle propaganda was never more widespread, deceptive, or costly. In our country alone cigarette advertising during 1937 cost more than 30 million dollars. The result is that cigarette smoking was never so general, particularly among women and girls. And sad to say, the debauchery of youth by deceptive marijuana appears to be growing. ¶

The situation with respect to alcoholic beverages is no better. ¶

Newspapers Voice Warning Against Liquor

A recent dispatch from Chicago carried by the public press, stated "more time and effort must be devoted to combatting the liquor problem among youth, according to recommendations made to the International Council of Religious Education by a committee on social issues, thoroughly aroused over the lethargic attitude of the people as to prevailing conditions among our young people." ¶

This statement recalls other news items that appeared a few weeks ago. An investigation conducted by Allied Youth, Incorporated, found that 49 per cent of 4,000 high school seniors in eleven different states were drinkers. Further, the American Youth Commission of the American Council on Education found that 52.9 per cent of 13,528 young people questioned in Maryland, used liquor in various forms. ¶

The Christian Science Monitor recently published an informative article on the liquor situation from which the following are extracts : Recapitulation of the evidence for and against the liquor industry in the last five years leads inevitably to the question: "Was repeal worth it?" "He who runs may read." ¶

One argument for repeal of prohibition was : "Legal control of liquor selling will result in moderation." Beer consumption rose from 32,000,000 barrels in 1934 to 56,000,000 in 1937 ; wine consumption from 45,000,000 gallons in 1935 to 66,000,000 in 1937, and tax-paid withdrawals of distilled spirits from 58,000,000 gallons in 1935 to 87,000,000 gallons in 1937. ¶

The saloon, it was said, would not return. But drinking places, however designated, have quadrupled in number. ¶

Has respect for law been restored by repeal ? J. Edgar Hoover, head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, reports prison populations at an all-time high and crime on the increase. Was bootlegging wiped out? In 1938 Federal Agents arrested 26,000 on bootlegging charges and destroyed 11,400 illegal stills. In the "wettest city of the United States" huge bootleg rings have been uncovered. ¶

Recently-retired United States Attorney General, Homer S. Cum-' mings, in his report to Congress last spring stated "that there were more liquor law violations in America last year than ever before in our history." ¶

From press news we learn that last May, 19 people were indicted in what was called the biggest bootleg ring ever uncovered in the State of New Jersey. Last June reports stated a bootleg ring was operating in Chicago greater than the Al Capone syndicate of prohibition days and doing a two-hundred-million-dollar-a-year business. The first of last August, 106 people were indicted by a federal grand jury in New York for operating what was called the biggest bootleg ring in the history of the nation. ¶

This story of law violation and debauchery by liquor gangs could be long continued, but enough said about it except to note the claim that there is but little of it in this state. However, during 1938 the federal office sold 194 permits to handle distilled liquors, of which the state bought only 94. And the state is the only legal dispenser of distilled liquors in this state. Why did the other one hundred persons buy permits except to avoid running afoul of the federal government in their illegal traffic in liquor ? ¶

The United States Daily News stated that persons killed or injured on the highways by drinking drivers doubled between 1933 and 1937. Convictions for drunken driving have now become matters of almost daily announcement in the public press. ¶

The January, 1939 issue of the Journal of American Insurance carried a leading article under the title "Alcohol Held Major Accident Cause," in which the results of some capful researches were published. ¶

Danger From Intoxicated Drivers

Would not one of the most effective means of securing highway safety be the elimination of the drinking driver ? We hear much these days about personal liberty, especially when measures to control the liquor traffic are being considered. But I maintain no drinking driver should be allowed on the public highways. The danger to life, limb and property is too great for this. ¶

Opinion of United States Senator

I make two quotations from an address in the United States Senate delivered by Hon. Morris Sheppard January 16, 1939. The first is this : ¶

As we observe the gathering concern over conditions now surrounding the consumption of alcoholic liquors it becomes apparent that the so-called laws following repeal have failed either to control the traffic or to promote temperance. ¶

The second is as follows : ¶

It will never be possible to drink alcohol with physical safety. Alcohol is not by nature intended for beverage use. Its chemical properties and attributes are destructive of living tissue ; and you cannot change human tissue to give it immunity from such destruction. * * * In the interest of a higher and more efficient civilization beverage alcohol * * * must be destroyed. ¶

This we are now attempting to do in the Church by education. Abstinence is the simplest and most effective way of banishing all the evils of alcoholic beverages. But we certainly favor the strict enforcement of all laws and regulations for the sale and consumption of these beverages. ¶

Cost of Liquor and Tobacco

Many times from this stand President Grant has urged the full observance of the Word of Wisdom, basing his sermons on moral, spiritual and economic grounds. A few figures may be impressive. From official sources it was learned that there was paid in Utah during 1938 : ¶

for legally sold distilled liquors ¶

for legally sold beer ¶

and for package cigarettes .... ¶

Total ¶

$ 3,938,565.75 3,959,922.30 2,673,656.65 ¶

$10,572,144.70 ¶

If to this large sum we would add the amounts paid for cigars and tobacco in other forms than package cigarettes, for bootleg liquor and for tea and coffee, we would undoubtedly obtain a sum in excess of thirteen million dollars, or an average of about $24 for every man, woman and child in the state. ¶

Of course, members of the Church in Utah did not pay all of this money. Travelers and non-Mormons paid much of it. flow much, no one knows. But it is a fact that however little our people paid the amount was larger than it should have been. ¶

Now, it is only fair to say that though the per capita consumption of liquor in Utah is entirely too large it is less than that in any other state west of the Missouri river. Surely this is due to abstinence among the Mormon people. Iowa, New Hampshire and Vermont drink less per capita than Utah, but they are not tourist states. ¶

Subtle Propaganda

There is a phase of liquor and cigarette propaganda that is especially dangerous because its objective is to popularize these poisons among the socially ambitious. To this end apparently no expense is spared, no deception too false to be used. Young people are inviegled into believing that social success depends on the adroit use of the cigarette or the liveliness flowing from cocktails. If indulgence in cigarettes and cocktails can be made popular in any elite group or situation, temptation will be particularly strong for non-users in the group. For this reason L. D. S. parents should be especially solicitous about the character of the social groups with which their young people desire to become affiliated on school campuses and elsewhere. No amount of so-called social popularity can ever be weighed against moral and spiritual integrity. The former has fleeting, the latter enduring value. No success secured at the expense of honor and integrity can ever be permanent. These facts should be burned into the consciousness of all our young people. Who among us is gifted enough to make it "smart" to say "no" in the hour of temptation ? Let him step forth. His services are needed. ¶

Bills Passed by Legislature

The waves of cigarette and cocktail indulgences flowing in upon us are as a call to energetic and persistent action of all friends of the moral purity and the physical, intellectual and spiritual vigor of our young people. I am happy to announce that one means to this end was the unanimous passage by the recent Utah legislature of two bills, one directing the public schools of this state to teach the truth about the evil and harmful effects of liquor, tobacco and other narcotics ; and the other directing the schools to become positive factors in character education. We suggest that all school patrons maintain a constant interest in helping the schools to the full observance of these two excellent laws, said by competent authority to be the best of their kind in the United States. But their value will be in their fruits rather than in their enactment only. The enactment of a national prohibition law in 1920 did not make the country dry. Prohibitionists largely went to sleep, forgetting that law does not enforce itself. ¶

Excellent as these laws are, until enacted in other states, they will apply to Utah only. But our campaign is Church-wide. While it will be our purpose to encourage the schools in anti-narcotic and character education, we have a program of our own that we earnestly solicit all Mormon people to help make effective. ¶

Booklets Issued by Church Committee

We have issued three little booklets that tell the truth in a plain interesting way why liquor and tobacco "are not good for man." The Lord did not say why when he revealed the Word of Wisdom 106 years ago, but he gave man the intelligence to find out. And man has done ¶

it. Two of the booklets give the facts upon which authorities agree. The other booklet is a powerful and convincing testimony of the value of abstinence. ¶

The objective of the first phase of the campaign is to get these booklets read and discussed by all over ten years of age in every Mormon home. And we are asking that this be done during this spring. This done, we shall enter upon the next phase of the campaign which will be confined largely to youth. Zion will be free of narcotic evils when all its youth shall be so instructed and motivated that they will never touch narcotics. ¶

Assistance Needed

To secure this end we must have the help of all mature people in the Church. This is why all need to read the booklets in order that they may be informed and able to answer the quest of youth for reasons why. This is a questioning age, made so by the teaching of all the schools. But we do not object to questions. The Prophet taught that we cannot be saved in ignorance. The glory of God is intelligence. We are spirit children of the Father and possess in embryo his attributes. It is our duty to grow in intelligence, knowledge, understanding, power and wisdom. There is no excuse in this day for any normal adult being ignorant of why liquor and tobacco are not good for man. Our campaign for their non-use rests upon an adequate knowledge of their harmful effects. ¶

And this knowledge will certainly increase our faith in the divinity of the Lord's great law of health. As a matter of fact, is it not a lack of faith that makes this campaign necessary? No Latter-day Saint whose faith reaches perfect assurance will ever partake of things prohibited by the Word of Wisdom. ¶

And this leads me to utter a word of caution. There are some of our people who use liquor and tobacco, one or both. Do not think of them or treat them as bad. Most of them at least are good neighbors and upright citizens, our relatives, people of our own blood. They have become ifidulgents for one or more of many reasons, largely due to circumstances and environments. And all of us are influenced more or less by these factors. ¶

In the main this campaign will reach them only outside of meetinghouses and the congregations of the Saints. But to be complete it must reach them. But in all cases let this be done in a spirit of love and helpfulness, never in criticism or condemnation. Contacts can succeed in their purpose only if tactfully made. Hence workers going to these people should be sympathetic, discreet and wise, never offensive. But let us make sure that all of them are contacted and induced to read the booklets. ¶

Obligation Rests Upon Church

But why worry ? some among us ask. Are not drinking and smoking personal matters, and do we not live in a free country? The Church has always had its critics both within and without its membership. Now the Church has a major obligation that it can never escape — that of preaching the Gospel of Christ, of doing missionary work. Whether we will or not, we are our brother's keeper. We must be active in the work of saving human souls, the most precious entities in the universe. ¶

The use of liquor and tobacco handicaps human beings, physically, mentally and spiritually. Knowing this we cannot escape the obligation, divinely given, of working for the non-use of these poisons. But I repeat, let us be careful of our methods, else our labors may do more harm than good. Let love permeate all our acts and wisdom characterize all our efforts. ¶

I have asked before and I ask again — is not the cigarette the greatest faith-killer in the Church today ? When we are free of its use we shall be free of other evils also. Faith will then be more abundant and its fruits much more plentiful. ¶

Let us unite in prayer, and good works to make ourselves more worthy of a greater amount of God's help in overcoming evil and building up his kingdom, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶