LIQUOR LAW

Hokitika Guardian, 14 December 1932, Page 8

LIQUOR LAW

AMERICAN POSITION

SUPPORT Foil CANADIAN SYSTEM. WELLINGTON, December 12. “We are going to change from Jfc-ro-li'ibitioa. It is absolutely ridiculous trying to enforce it,” said Mr L. • L. Higli.eyman, a retired banker from Mami, Flo; idn.,- who arrived by the Makuna this morning in. the course- of a .world tour. Remarking that in the recent vote in Congress -a -chango-over of only six votes would have-'secured the necessary two-thirds majority, -Mr Highleyman said that when the new President -and Congress were 1 - sworn in next March ahere would he an overwhelming “wet” majority , • “There seems to he a strong tody of opinion in favour of State- control as is the practice in l Canada,” lie said) “The Canadian system scans to work.very well, and I think tfiere is a very good c-hance of its being adopted in the United States.

.“There is- a feeling a mo"" n "ret many Americans that the British war debt should'- be ,cut down,” he continued. “England, 1 in its settlement with the United States, had agreed, to pay a much greater proportion than the other countries, and .France, which wfls in a comparatively prosperous condition’, was paying -only ”» small percentage of what was owing. We are very strong -on dlisarmament - 'in' the IFaited .‘Stales,”’ he said, Vand one of the istrangest arguments ip favour of compelling'European countries to meet their obligations i<? the fact that most of-them c-an still apparently afford to spend large sums’on armaments: Look at" Canada and - the “United’ -States. There is not a. battleship on the' lakesand not a soldier ion the border-except for Custoiris o-ffic’drs. • A/f- long -as ; coun>tries are armed there will he a danger of war.” TARIFF BARRIERS.

Af-er being -a Republican all h*is 1 :-f-e, Mr:'Highleyman beoaroe -'-a « Democrat lAippcirt-er at-the- last -elei.-tioa when he gave hi.? vote -to Mr Roosevelt. ‘-‘There it? a strong feeling in. the'United States that - the tariff's' ought- to ! , come -down and' that protection had been carried to excess under the Republicans,” he qa.id. “If we don’t -do -business ■ with the rest oft-fre" Wc/rl'd 1 we are going to he at a disadvantage.” Mr ’High-leyirwin said tihaij "so far ns he could gather conditions- were letter iii New Zealand then iti 'America. The wholts world, lie considered, had bad a little teo iriuclr'of the good things of life and 'was going to have a‘ hard •j'-me d.i gosling fi'iem. ‘ Phe '■ electiorl of Mr Roosevelt was regarded ns a good! ■ sign ' iff "hls""'country,"’but"lthefe was a long way to go to get back 1 to normal. Cotton, wheat, ard other primary products WerC‘bCihg 'pfoduced at a price which brought scarcely any return to the ail'd more factor-ie? had been built Ithan there was work for. The result was that some were working short time and others were being closed down.

Mr Highleyman experts to remain in New Zealand l until after Christmas;, when he will proceed to Australia .