RUINING HOMES.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18668, 17 April 1926, Page 15

RUINING HOMES.

STILLS IN U.S.A. EVIDENCE OF "WETS." (BT CABLE—PEESS ASSOCUTIOK—COFYBIGHT.) (AtTSTBALIAS ASD X.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.) (Received Ap*4l 16th, 5.5 p.m.) WASHINGTON, April 15. The Wets have closed their case against Prohibition before the Senate Committee and the Drys will resume their testimony to-morrow. Mrs Mary Norton, a member of the Congress, pleaded that Prohibition corrupted homes and should be modified. She said: "Wives have told me that they were formerly troubled with drunken husbands, but now the husbands have taken to drugs and they are crazy." She introduced a joke ascribed to the Prince of Wales, who, when visiting the United States, was asked how he liked Prohibition, and replied: "Great, when does it begin?" Mr Samuel; Church, president of the Carnegie Institute, states that students in his and other Universities were taking flasks to soaial events and girl students were participating in drinking parties. Mr John Callan, president of the ; Liberty Defence League, declared that the expositions of stills was ruining many homes. Mr Jones, Director of Prohibition, agreed with Mr Andrews's statement that the legalising of beer would facilitate Dry law enforcement, but claimed that repeal or modification would mean the end of the country's present prosperity. In the meantime, Mr Andrews has been subjected to much criticism since he testified, the Drys objecting to his statement that he favoured the sale of beer. Mr Andrews has issued an announcement in which he says he did not intend that this should be interpreted as advocating a change in law. [Mr Andrews, giving evidence before the Senate Committee, said he believed that the modification of the Federal Enforcement Act to encourage mild alcoholic beverages would aid Prohibition enforcement. It was estimated that there were about 1,720,000 stills now operating in the United States, with an average capacity of 40 gallons a day. Cross-examined, he stated that his opinion as a- man and as a citizen was that the present conditions of home distilling were seriously injurious to the morals of the home. Figures wfaich he introduced showed that the number of stills seized had increased from 95,930 in 1921, to 172,537 in 1925. Mr Andrews admitted that he often hired informers from the underworld to obtain evidence.]