The Wrongs of Prohibition

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2500, 31 October 1922, Page 7 (Supplement)

The Wrongs of Prohibition

A PRIZE ESSAY

By G. H.C., Timaru

I object to Prohibition, because— Drink, in itself, is not evil; t v : ia good. Prohibit It and you wdl get boot-legging, increased crime, i°sanitv and immorality tenfold worse than exists now: you would create a ely nation :i- t+ ig wrong to prohibit a whole com•ik munity because a small percentage indulges to excess. It is a -direct mterfare S nce with the liberty of the subject, and as foolish as would be the prohibi tion of jam tarts and mince pieces because the one created wind the • other indigestion. • 1 Nearly all crime is put down to drink •13 this fair ? Have not mental balance, ill-health, and. heredity any Hhare p The man who has lost his all, the man with an incurable disease, or the man with an hereditary kink do. not require drink to send them wrong, they go wrong in any case, but tho Pious Peters all whoop “Drink again! Besides: Men aro not all cast in the same mould. ■ One man’s constitution may require meats and strong dnnk, - another may need, and be able to digest only vegetables and cold water. on earth should not each of them choose that which is most suited to ms caso' r ' I find pork-chops disagree with me therefore I eschew pork chops. 1 find beer does me good, therefore i. have my beer —and why not ? In south Africa the;natives in the mines .were not allowed drink they secretly «oado-vile brews, bought cheap, and spirits, and under these influences committed terrible crrnics. borne of the employers are now trying thp experiment, of supplying beer. Prejhib l ; Lion was a failure; timo will tell wflav will como of reasonable treatment: and wholesome drink taken legally aa opposed to prohibition and vile compoonds taken on the ely - We are allowed to choose our, own religion, politics, food, trades, professions, and amusements. Why are wo incapable of choosing our own drinks £ Is it more important than these tbenr -i- • Or, when prohibition in drink is. dead and buried, will new faddists arrive to prohibit religions, food, etc. P - Why not prohibit tea: There is certainly far too much tea-drinking.