The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times TUESDAY JULY 28th, 1925. THE LIQUOR QUESTION.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 July 1925, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times TUESDAY JULY 28th, 1925. THE LIQUOR QUESTION.

This is the year of decision again in the Dominion affecting the liquor question. The rival sides will be busy soon, no doubt. with their propaganda, and the average elector will have much at his disposal for study both pro and eon. The subject, however, is one that might be contemplated now in the quiet of the year as it were s ( > that a reasoned decision may !>e come to without the mind being inflamed in any way hv what might be said or put before the public for last minute consideration. As to the general question for prohibition there are now many examples to study. In both the old and new world the panacea has been tried in various ways. The United States is an outstanding example. Till lately a great deal was heard about the movement. or rather the methods adopted to enforce prohibiten. It is necessary to use a great force on seq and land

to prevent illicit dealings in liquor, and at the best, the prevention is only very partial. Liquor seems to he readily procurable all over the States, and perhaps mm here more readily than in New York. This is not a statement unsupported by evidence. The clearest statement we have seen in print regarding liquor in America, lias come from lion. W. llownie Stewart, the Minister ol Finn me, who has hut. lately returned from the I'nited States. In the course of an interview following hi? return, tiie followng statement was made, show, iug that while prohibition was supposed •to he in actual practice, plenty of liquor was obtainable : -

“One cannot accept New York as being typical of America, hut two things struck me in eon neetioii with Prohibition," sui.l Mr Stewart, “tine is that from wlmt 1 saw and heard. 1 lielicve that if a plebiscite were taken. Prohibit ion would lie carried again. The other is that though you do not see any open drinking, it can lie got anywhere. Private hospitality extended to tile always included it. In fact, one host rang me up the day Wore T was to dine with him, and enquired which I preferred, champagne, hock, burgundy. ‘.Just name your choice: I have them all.’”

This is sweeping enough, and seeing that liquor must lie pouring into America by the great flotillas of rum runnevs it is not surprising the liquor is to lie had in plenty. But there is another inspect disclosed by the interview referred to. Mr Stewart speaks also of the crime problem in America. It is a growing scourge, and despite prohibition is not reducing in volume or intensity. This is a very serious aspect, and discounts so much that has been said from the platform as to what will happen when strong drink is vetoed. Here is Mr Stewart’s statement of fact on the subject:

Perhaps the most outstanding feature of New York life at the moment is the prevalence of bandits. Mr Stewart stated that a couple of times each week, most daring daylight robberies were carried out under the very nose of the police. Usually it was a hank or a jeweller’s shop. The bandits held up the stall', locked them in a room, cleaned out the sale, and even took the jewels from the window, and disappeared in the city crowd lielore anything could lie done. “Kven if you doubled the police force. I don’t see how you can cope with it in great cities like New York and London.” said Mr Stewart. ‘‘lt is impossible to round up all the criminals. London is not nearly so had. hut in Xcw Yolk it is an unsolvahle problem.”

America is not improving it> morals by reason of discarding liquor by statute. There is an amusing side-light on the whole subject in the paragraph published the other day to the effect that Now Zealand hosts and hostesses who find themselves in doubt as to the correct liquid form in which hospitality should he extended to officers and men of the United States Fleet, will 1h? interested in an opinion on the matter expressed by the wife of one of the officers, who arrived at Auckland by the Niagara. ‘‘Now you tell your folk they can he just as hospitable to us as ever they like.” she declared with a twinkle in her eye. “Don’t you make any mistake about it ; we are looking for it—good, hard stuff. We are hoping for champagne at out parties, and l assure you. there will be some very disappointed people in the Pacific Fleet if it isn’t there. Wo had near cock-tails and home-made whisky in Honolulu, but it wasn’t near enough. We are looking forward to real stuff now. for a change.” That is • a very open invitation, and indicates very clearlv just wdiat is in the mind of manv Americans who find themselves forced to put up with what is called prohibition, but which is something worse than a sham, conducing to crime

and creating a false atmosphere in which people are forced to play a double part. It is evident the law is not regarded with any real respect, and such being the case. New Zealanders should think very hard before they resolve by their vote to seek to place this country in the same un.-oitisfac-tory position that America i~ to-day. Prohibition as practiced in the United States is something very much to he avoided il the Dominion is to erica] e the same experience as has followed the introduction of the dry law in the States.