CASE FOR PROHIBITION

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 932, 27 March 1930, Page 9

CASE FOR PROHIBITION

“DRYS” TESTIFY BEFORE HOUSE COMMITTEE DEATH-RATE CLAIMS Reed. 10.40 a.m. WASHINGTON, Wed. At tlie conclusion of the House dryhearings, President Lentz, of the American Insurance Union, testified that prohibition had cut down the nation’s death rate. In the five years prior to prohibition, 1914-1919, a survey of 77 insurance companies showed the relation of actual to expected mortality was from 60 to 63 per cent., but the average for 1921-1927 was only from 5S to 34 per cent. Dr. Mcßride, general superintendent of the Anti-Saloon League, stated that prohibition is a success. It is popular and can be enforced. He added that his answer to “this wet frenzy” is “the speedy enactment by Congress into the law of tile President’s programme. with such appropirations as will give probition a chance.”

Ex-Premier Drury, of Ontario, stated Government control failed to reduce drinking, crime or bootlegging in Canada.

“Government control is not the remedy,” he said. “Effective control is, indeed, impossible. The AngloSaxon temperament will not stand for the inquisition that is necessary into private affairs to establish any effective control.”

He gave extensive statistics to show an increase of lawlessness in Ontario. CANADA CO-OPERATES

A message from Ottawa says the Canadian House of Commons by 173 votes to 11 passed the Liquor Export Bill, which gives the Government authority to refuse a clearance to liquor shipments to the United States.

The Bill will now go to the Senate. The opposition which has been aroused by the announced intention of the Prime Minister, Mr. W. L. Mackenzie King, to negotiate a “smuggling 'treaty” with the United States threatens to create serious political dissension in Canada. Mr. King says it is better to cooperate with the American Government than to make matters easy for the criminal element. Members of the Opposition say tk United States threatens to line the border with 10,000 armed men unless she secures a treaty, which would be hypocritical, as rum-running would continue in- spite of it.