Owing to the cessation of hostilities, the attention of the American soldiers who are still in Europe is again directed to the events which are occurring at home. They are greatly embittered because Congress proceeded to pave the way for the introduction of prohibition without giving the army an opportunity to express its opinion. It is reported that when the brave defenders of our country return home they will deal severely with those members of Congress who are responsible for the enactment of laws by which the freedom of the American people is threatened or impaired. And they are even now weighing the political strength of those candidates who were rivals for office of the senators and representatives who are advocates of prohibition.

The brevity and inadequacy of the American news which reached Europe undoubtedly has caused the intense interest in the "dry-wet" issue. At present a 2plan is being considered to unite all soldiers who return into one gigantic organization, similar to the Grand Army of the Republic. Preliminary work is already under way.

The Baltimore American reports that members of Congress are receiving a host of letters which contain protests against efforts to make America "bone-dry". Today there are but a few members of Congress who do not perceive that they will be obliged to make way for a liberal-minded successor, should they be opposed by a veteran of the World war during the next election. And these liberal-minded men will decide the liquor question according to their observation and experience, and not according to the viewpoint of America's "drys". The coercive laws which deprive American soldiers of even the mildest alcoholic drink do not apply in Europe, and our boys who are there are sufficiently convinced that men who occasionally enjoy strong liquor can be a great credit to their fatherland in time of danger. The effects of the protests are discernible even at this early date.

Members of Congress are aware that National Prohibition cannot go into effect until one year after the Secretary of State has proclaimed that the Constitutional Amendment in question has been ratified by a sufficient number of state legislatures, and within this year Congress must provide the laws which are necessary to enforce the Amendment. Even now it is intimated that an overabundance of other work may prevent Congress from concerning itself with the laws referred to. Many Congressmen are apparently inclined to consider that the votes of the soldiers who have returned home are of more importance than the votes of the Prohibitionists.

In the meantime the electorate should make use of every opportunity to make known its Stand on the liquor issue. Many are inclined to underate the value of such demonstrations, and to underestimate the length of time that the impressions created by such demonstrations endure. The citizens of Chicago, therefore, should not permit themselves to be misled by the contention of the Prohibitionists that the election which will be held here on April 1 is of no importance, since the voters are merely to decide whether or not the saloons 4in the city shall remain open a few more months. If the Prohibitionists can persuade many people to remain away from the polls, or to cast no ballot on the liquor question, they will succeed in their endeavors to create the impression that no opposition to the coercive prohibition law exists. All men and women who reserve the right to regulate their life themselves, and according to their own judgment, and wish to protest against permitting a small clique of professional reformers to act as guardians over an overwhelming majority of our citizens, should consider it their special duty to reject the prohibition laws which are proposed for Chicago.