PROHIBITION IN AMERICA.

Taihape Daily Times, 10 June 1919, Page 5

PROHIBITION IN AMERICA.

New Zealand passengers by vessels passing through the Panama canal have had an 'opp'ort-unity, both there and at Newport News of seeing something of the working of Prohibition in America Some who managed to spend a day or so in Washington were very !ll.'lCh 111terested in seeing the capital of a great country, which, in theory at any r-«.-re is “dry.” Amongst those who took advantage of the opportunity of seeing what was to be seen in .1 flying visit was Mr. W. H. Triggs, editor of. the Christchurch Press. Writing undo‘: date April 20, to his journal, he says that prohibition seems to be pretty strictly enforced at Paiiania, where what, is k:llOV‘S.’ll «a_si“'(.‘,:=.nal Z<;ne’f is under Ameriean.eolltrol,'“but. in the native quarter spirits of a. highly deleteriousiquality are sold, and in one or two instances at least “the effect.’ onsome of our men passing through has been disasterous. Mr Triggs expéafns that although Washington is “(lr_,'." it is situated only 30 or 40 miles from Baltimore, which is “Wet,” and large quantities of liquor are smuggled in. The process is called “bottle-legging,” from the method adopted in the first instance, but the sly grog—sellers, who are chiefly negroes, are continually varying their plans. so as to outwit. the police. Some of them are said to have grown very wealthy by buying whisky at two dollars a quart. and selling it for eight or ten dollars. It was brought over in motor cars, and a cordon or guards had to be set round the city for the purpose of stoppiiig and searching any suspicious-looking vehiele. Mr Triggs’ taxidriver in \\’ash—ington assured him there was no difii—eulty in getting liquor of one wanted it, and his breath afforded eorrobora.tive evidence of his statement. He sriid that the adoption of prohibition had at first injured business in VV:-rshingtou 3‘ y diverting a stream of travellers to Eialtiniore, where the hotels were ableto do business as usual." But, he said, he thought’ itihad reversed the ‘LC7llp~"l'ar§ set-back} At Newport News the New Zealand pressman was assured by a very shrewd and evidently =Ll:ee.~‘r.".2l business man that he had not the slightest hesitation in saying that Xewp-)‘rt News had greatly increased in ]v:os:g)nr—ity, and that unquestionably prohibition was a good thing. But ver_s' large military Camps have been estribliriiud in the neighbourhood of the town. It has benefited from tlre t‘"’iellditul'e of huge sunis of Govurmnen;' money. and its position as a shipping and eoaling port is bound to bring it prosperity. Still, Mr Triggs says, lie'_lnust, in fairness, add that in no sliippiitg port in the world had he seen so little drunkenness, while everyone eertainl_v appeared to be doing well. Nor had he seen a brighter, fairer capital than Washington.