PROHIBITION ANALOGIES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5349, 9 November 1928, Page 3

PROHIBITION ANALOGIES.

If you say to a prohibitionist that prohibition is- a restriction of natural liberty, he will say, as the President of Alliance said in 1927, that “all laws, human and divine, restrict individuals in the community interest.” This, of course, is not true ; some of the best laws enlarge liberty, and civilization is largely the story of tne removal of fetters. But what liberty is it that the- restrictive laws, human or divine, do restrict'! The liberty only do evil. And then what does the prohibitionist say ? The dialogue would be something like this Socrates: Then we are ag.reed that the liberty .to be, restricted is the liberty to do evil. Is it doing evil to drink wine temperately. 'as the majority do ? Prohibitionist: Not in itself. Socrates: Then why destroy a liberty that is not abused Prohibitionist: For the sake of those who cannot drink temperately. Socrates: That is a principle—l think, a bad one. But being a principle it must admit of universal application. Is that not so ? Prohibitionist: Yes. Socrates : You will admit that the institution of private property, though indispensable, yet produces fraud and cruejty and crime. Guns and knives also cause many dejaths, do they not ? And you wiir agyee that food itself causes disease to those who eat unwisely and injtemperately ? Prohibitionist: I suppose that is so. Socrates: As for motor*cars you se;e for yourself the injuries resulting from their epeistenjee. You are 'aware also that embezzlements are a consequence of money ? Prohibitionist: Yes ! Socrates : I am sure you will say that if private property were abolished much that is distressing would disappear. If we had no g,uns or knives theire could be no shootings or stabbings. The abolition of food would certainly result in the abolition of the human race, but it would at least abolish indigestion, would it not ? And if there were no money there would be no forgeries or thefts or embezzlements. Traffic accidents and motor smashes would end if we got rid of motor cars, obProhibitionist: I can’t deny that. Socrates : Then your principle requiries the- prohibition of private property, knives, motor cars, and so on. Prohibitionist: But — Socrates: Yes ? Prohibitionist: Well —but— *