The liquor traffic from 1942 to 1945 has greatly increased its revenues. Its income increased from $3,700,000,000 in 1942 to $7,770,000,000 in 1945. During 1946 it realized a profit of $164,000,000. Per capita consumption of alcoholic beverages has registered an increase from 1.69 gallons per capita in 1943 to 20.67 gallons per capita in 1945.
There is no doubt that this increase of drinking, particularly among young people and women, has been greatly stimulated by a campaign of advertising which has become increasingly offensive to Christian people. Today, the brewers are even running a series, “Home Life in America,” creating the false impression that beer is a part of the life of the American home, to teach mothers to serve their own children and their children’s friends a beverage that for at least a percentage of them will lead to alcoholism.
Legislation is now before Congress proposing to close the channels of radio and of interstate commerce to such advertising.
We recommend, therefore, that this Convention go on record as supporting this proposed legislation (known as the Capper Bill, Senate Bill 265) and authorize the Public Relations Committee to make use of the action of the Convention at the public hearings on the bill.
See Page 298 for Report.
92. W.D. Upshaw, Georgia, moved and it was adopted, that the recommendation of the Social Service Commission be amended as follows:
The Southern Baptist Convention hereby indorses the proposed amendment to the Constitution of the United States, making drunkenness a constitutional outlaw–penalizing the four persons who create this crime against God and humanity that is condemned by our Bible–the maker, the seller, the buyer, and the drinker of intoxicating liquor.