Preamble

Trusting in Almighty God and our Savior Jesus Christ as the source of all true government, and seeing the necessity of an organization that will materialize votes and secure the election of officers who will pledge themselves to the utter annihilation of the liquor traffic, we call on all men, women and children to join this organization, which shall be known as the “Prohibition Federation.” We exclude from our organization any person who will not vote for the total annihilation of intoxicating liquors for any purpose. We co-operate with the Prohibition Party, but go a step further, making it a crime to manufacture or sell intoxicating liquors for any purpose.

ARTICLE 1.—OBJECT. The objects of the organization shall be: To oppose in every way the use of intoxicating liquors, making it a crime to manufacture, barter, sell, give away, export or import the same into the United States for any purpose. To take charge of the local elections, seeing that only those who will oppose the liquor traffic in such manner as stated above, shall be nominated. To demand constitutional prohibition and woman suffrage, and to secure the election of a prohibition President. To recommend compulsory education. To see to the strict enforcement of all laws relating to Sabbath observance, making it a misdemeanor to play any public games on the Lord’s Day. That the use of blasphemous language in any public place be considered a misdemeanor, punishable by fine and imprisonment. To make it a misdemeanor, punishable by fine and imprisonment, to manufacture, sell, or use cigarettes. To examine the petitions of all saloon keepers as to their compliance with the statutes, seeking to revoke those that have not complied, and in every way seeking to prevent them from obtaining license.

ART. 2.—MEMBERSHIP. Any person may become a member by pledging their loyalty to this constitution.

ART. 3.—OFFICERS. The officers shall consist of a President, four Vice-Presidents, Secretary and Treasurer. They shall be elected at the first regular business meeting in January and serve until their successors are duly elected and qualified.

SEC. 2. The officers shall constitute the Executive Committee, which shall have oversight of all the work of the Federation. The Executive Committee shall have power to fill all vacancies occuring between the annual elections.

ART. 4.—DUTIES OF OFFICERS. The President shall perform the duties usually assigned to his office. He shall be a member ex-officio of all committees.

SEC. 2. The first Vice-President shall be chairman of the Membership Committee. This committee shall devise ways and means of securing members and pledges for the support of the Federation.

Sec. 3. The second Vice-President shall be chairman of the Program Committee. This committee shall arrange for all social and literary meetings.

Sec. 4. The third Vice-President shall be chairman of the Press and Literature Committee. This committee shall see that all meetings are duly announced by the local press and otherwise and report such meetings to the local papers and also to the national organ. It shall secure and distribute literature for the aggressive work of the Federation.

Sec. 5. The fourth Vice-President shall be chairman of the Law Enforcement Committee. This committee shall report to the Federation the non-enforcement of all statutes, suggesting means to secure the enforcement of such statutes. It shall also investigate all lines of law enforcement, instructing the Federation in statutory law.

Sec. 6. The Vice-Presidents, by and with the advice of the President, shall select the persons to assist them in their several departments.

Sec. 7. The Secretary shall keep an accurate record of all business meetings and a complete register of all members. The Secretary shall be the authorized collector for the local Federation and shall be entitled to a commission of ten per cent of all collections.

Sec. 8. The Treasurer shall be chairman of the Finance Committee. This committee shall devise ways and means of securing pledges, and raising money in any other way deemed advisable to further the interests of the Federation. He shall report to the Secretary all pledges that have been paid by members and others, so that the Secretary’s book shall show correctly all money received and paid out.

Sec 9. It shall be the duty of the Membership and Finance Committees to take pledges from the members of the Federation, and any others, to further its work. These pledges shall be for the month and payable quarterly. One-third of such money secured shall be retained by the local organization and the remaining two-thirds shall be sent to the Treasurer at the home office in Guthrie, Oklahoma.

ART. 5.—REPORTS OF OFFICERS. At the annual meeting, each of the officers shall present a full written report of the year’s work.

ART. 6.—SPECIAL COMMITTEES. At the regular monthly business meeting preceding the annual meeting, the President shall appoint from the membership the following special committees: An Auditing Committee of three. This committee shall examine all accounts and render a report at the annual business meeting, a record of such report to appear upon the Secretary’s book. A Nominating Committee of five. This committee shall report at the annual meeting the name of one candidate for each office.

ART. 7.—MEETINGS. Two meetings a month shall be held. One to transact the business of the Federation, the other for literary and social purposes, conducted under the direction of the Program Committee. This second meeting shall consist of oratorical contests, debates, recitations, songs, or any other educational features.

The regular business meeting in January shall be the annual meeting.

ART. 8.—PAYMENT OF BILLS. No money shall be paid except upon an order signed by the President and Secretary.

ART. 9.—OFFICIAL ORGAN. The official organ of the Federation shall be “The Hatchet,” published in Guthrie, Okla., (16-page monthly, 25 cents a year.) The Press and-Literature Committee shall solicit subscriptions to the official organ.

ART. 11.—AMENDMENTS. This constitution may be amended by a twothirds vote of the members present at any regular business meeting (ten being a quorum), provided such amendment shall have been proposed in writing at the previous regular business meeting.