The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, MAY 27, 1926. ENFORCING PROHIBITION.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 May 1926, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, MAY 27, 1926. ENFORCING PROHIBITION.

A press cable message from Washington published on Monday indicated tiiat to enforce prohibition, the United States authorities arc calling to their aid some ten thousand dry agents to co-operate with the present enforcement army in the object in view. Lately there was a good deal of detail information pro and con in regal'd to the enforcement of prohibition supplied to the sub-committee of the Untedi States Senate. Ihe particulars caused a London paper to remark that the details were followed with considerable interest. It was added that the British public were not, of course, directly concerned. I hey have their own practical and effective method of preventing intemperance. But they have always iccognised that prohibition, as it has been applied to the United States, is a great and important experiment, and they are anxious to know whether human nature can he con<|Ucred by Act of Congress and whether the mass of men can he forced by edict to consume “soft" drinks. Dr Murray Butler, the president of the Columbia University, who holds somewhat the same position in America that Benjamin Jowett held in England forty years ago, now declares that the attempt to establish prohibition is

“the most colossal failure in the history of government,'’ anil “the most immoral undertaking on whieh any Government has ever embarked.” If prohibition had been a success, then drinking and drunkenness, must speedily have disappeared. For in a country where liquor could not be imported or manufactured there would obviously he no possibility of drinking too much. But the official statistics of the American Bar Association show that in Chicago, with a population of 2.830,000, in 1923 there 'were To.'-"' arrests for drunkenness and disorderly conduct. In the police areas of London for a population of 7.000.000 there were, in 1922, 13.1 16 arrests for drunkenness simple and 19,829 tor drunkenness with aggravations. So that London, where prohibition does, not exist, with a population twice that of prohibitionist Chicago, had less than half as many drunken persons. A case now before the New York courts may explain why it is that liquor can he bought there at a moderate price. One of tlie highest ’ United States officials in that case j stated that six of the coastguards employed in putting down smuggling had been bought by the “bootleggers.” On at least one occasion, lie alleged, a coastguard vessel was itself used to land 300 cases of whisky from the “Bum Fleet.” This, may explain why so many United States coastguards are living in affluence and pnv- | ing off mortgages on their houses. In the United States the community , loses the amount which in Britain is levied in duties on various forms of , alcohol. The disappearance of alcohol taxes means that well over £100,000,000 goes to “bootleggers” and smugglers ami this loss has to lie made good by taxes of other kinds. And. further, the public is taxed to pay the coastguards and “dry” police who are supposed to light the smugglers and ■ “bootleggers.” The cost of these preventive services is fast growing and is estimated at several millions. A veritable navy is employed in chasing “rum runners.” and the orders are to “shoot first and inquire afterwards.” As the Prohibition Commissioner for New York district observod : “You can’t have the law enforced by a lot. of needle-worshippers.” But this is not all; prohibition police, and agents everywhere fire on motor-cars which they “suspect” to he conveying alcohol; and in Colorado, jis Sheriff S. F. Thomas, of Pueblo, recently stated, they “have, in addition to their side artillery, a stomach pump. . The purpose of this instrument . . will he the recovery of hastily gulped evidence.” Such are some of the conditions which horrify Dr Butler. Proliiliihition is hound to continue for some time, even if a large majority of United States voters waul lo get rid of it. Prohibition has been incorporated into the Constitution hv the 18th. Amendment; this was accomplished as a war measure in lf)17, and good judges think that it could never have been secured in any other' way. But to repeal the 18th. Amendment twothirds majorities in both Houses of Congress and the consent of threefourths of the Legislatures of the various States as well are necessary. Meanwhile, there arc hitter complaints that whisky drinking is spreading among young girls, and recentlv a Delaware newspaper declared that “since the enactment of prohition laws, not only hoys of high-school age but girls and other younger children frequently 1 are seen under the influence of pro- 1 hibited liquor” ! It can well he understood if success is to he secured, the additional army is necessary, hut even ! with that army success is doubtful. Human nature evidently will have its wav, cost what it mav.