WHY CANADA ABANDONED PROHIBITION.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19463, 9 November 1928, Page 7

WHY CANADA ABANDONED PROHIBITION.

w MR T. M. WILFORD. M.P., TELLS HIS EXPERIENCES. (Special Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, November 8. " 'When in a prohibition country, a Judge in the Court is a bootlegger himself, and is trying a bootlegger before a jury, at least half of whom have bootleggers, what can you expect?' said Judge Avery to me in Canada." Thus Mr T. M. Wilford, MJ?., opened an address before a crowded audience in Wellington on the subje t of his experiences of the State Control of Liquor, as adopted in Canada, after that country had given prohibition a thorough trial.

The "Venerable Archdeacon Williams, President of the Licensing Reform Association, presided. He said that Mr Wilford had acceded to the Association's request to make public his experiences in Canada, so that the people of New Zealand might understand why that country had abandoned Prohibition, and adopted State Control. He would urge the people of New Zealand to make use of the middle issue of State Control as an indication that they wanted reforming legislation. (Applause.) Mr Wilford, who was received with prolonged applause, said his personal experiences covered the principal cities of the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Noval Scotia. He had not visittd Prince Edward Island, which, with Nova Scotia, was still called a Prohibition province; but Prohibition existed there only in name. In Nova Scotia he had found that the amount of liquor sold for medicinal purposes would lead one to believe that the province was one great hospital. He had investigated matters concerning the drink question from Victoria on the west, to Halifax on the east; interviewing Premiers, police officers, writers, business men, shopkeepers, clerks, manufacturers, and many C.N.R. officials, and at the end of his tour had come to the definite conclusion that Prohibition had utterly failed. His first visit in British Columbia had been to the home of Dr. McLean, the then Premier, who told him that both he and his wife had been Prohibitionists, that they had all they could to get Prohibition carried; but that they had found it, in operation, futile, unenforceable, and a farce. Young people, who had not thought of drinking before, had quickly become addicts, the Premier had said, and that vile decoctions, hitherto unknown, had been used when legally manufactured spirits could not be procured. The Premier had helped to repeal the Prohibition law, ana to get State Control substituted, for Prohibition was not a deterrent. (Hear, hear.)

Prohibition a Scandal. In Vancouver Mr Wilford had interviewed the heads of the enforcement system of State Control and the police chiefs. They informed him that they had voted Prohibition in the first place and had oringinally hoped it, would work, but before long found it impossible of enforcement. Bootlegging flourished, witnesses in liquor cases would not give evidence against and young men and girls, as soon as liquor was made "forbidden fruit," started in to defy the law and drink as they had never drunk before. Prominent citizens like Dr. Gatewood, Mr Burns, Mr E. B. Cavey and Mr Fitzpatrick, among others, had told l)im that the state of the city under Prohibition had been a scandal. Canned heat or methylated spirits . were consumed by the old topers, and vile and poisonous liquor waß; sold, even to boys and girls, by unscrupulous bootleggers. He had also interviewed employees of the Hudson Bay Stores, and in many ■ shops. They all agreed that State Control was miles ahead of Prohibition.

At Edmonton, the capital of Alberta, Mr Wilford had interviewed the members of Parliament, and i found one man only who said that he thought that Prohibition could be enforced. He had spent two hours with the Hon. J. E. Brownlee, the Premier, who intimated that he had -been a life-long Prohibitionist; but that public opinion could not be raised in the province to-day to give Prohibition' a chance of success, if v a poll or plebiscite was now taken. State Control was working well. The Premier had stated that the change to Prohibition was too drastic and that he was quite satisfied that no reversion from State Control was now in sight. At Regina, the capital of Saskatchewan, the speaker had had a long interview with Mr Gardiner, Premier of Saskatchewan, another who had been an ardent Prohibitionist. He had agreed with Mr Brownlee that the change to Prohibition was disastrously sudden, and that education must precede Prohibition. He had explained that local option was possible in districts under the Saskatchewan Law, so that 113 districts' could each, if they liked, become dry. But he admitted that they had not become dry, and agreed that the people of the Province would not vote for Prohibition to-day. The shopkeepers of Regina had assured Mr Wilford that conditions were better under State Control than under .Prohibition.

At the time of Mr Wilford's visit the Premier of Manitoba, Mr Bracken, had been ill, but the speaker had seen Mr Clubb, the Deputy Premier, who, while personally, inclined to Prohibition, had said that State Control had abolished bootlegging and the unspeakable evils that went with it; and had agreed with the other Premiers that no vote taken to-day would repeal Control for Prohibition.

The speaker had interviewed twenty seven shopkeepers in Winnipeg, the the capital of Manitoba, and not once did he hear a favourable word for Prohibition. One woman said to him: "Give me Control, not Prohibition. Under Control my husband goes to the store, buys a bottle of good liquor, and brings it home. Under Prohibition he went with friends to bootleggers and sometimes didn't return at all. He wasn't able to."

Election Fought on Bepeal of Prohibition.

In Ontario, Mr Wilford stated, he had met Premier Ferguson who had fought his recent election on the abolition of Prohibition and the institution of State Control. "He won," said Mr Wilford, "with a majority of about a quarter of a million votes." (Applause.) Premier Ferguson had told him how, under Prohibition, doctors issued prescriptions for five million dollars' worth in one year. Bootleggers, defying the law, flourished, buying expensive mansions 'and cars, flaunting their wealth arrogantly in the public places, and selling thirty-five million dollars' worth of liquor in twelve months. Smuggling could not be stopped. Bad liquor smashed homes, poisoned drinkers, and broke up families. Young men and girls had sought forbidden frnit and schemed for liquor whtre formerly they hadn't thought of it. The ease of manufacture and huge profits readily made, smashed the moral fibre of the people. Premier Ferguson had determined to bring this state of things to' an end, and the people rallied to his ■id in abolishing Prohibition and set-

ting tip State Control in its place. (Applause.) Canon Cody, a famous Anglican minister, went to Alberta to investigate State Control; he earne back to Ontario convinced, and said ao. Then Dr. Mc? Gilvray, a noted Presbyterian minister, investigated State Control in other provinces, and became converted. Father (Burke, of the Boman Catholic Church, joined these two divines in the movement for the repeal of Prohibition, and the people began to take an interest. Then Mrs Emily Murhy, a Police Magistrate of Edmonton, made a public statement in which she said she had 1 opposed State Control in Alberta on. platform and by pen before it became law; bat that, after several years administering it die had found her fear had proved unfounded, for the State Control law was well conceived and well enforced. Premier Ferguson had told the speaker that when scores of the leaders in every walk of life throughout the province had joined this movement, and publicly stated that the responsibility of the home, the school, and the Church, called for the repeal of -Prohibition, the people of Ontario followed their lead. (Applause.) State Control Better. "At Ottawa," continued Mr Wilford, "I was the guest of the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Hon. Bandolph Lemieux. 1 met ali the principal men in the Parliament there, and bad opportunities of discussing this matter with some of '.hose who had been prominent in the prohibition movement of the past. I never found one who approved of the operation:, of so-called | Prohibition. Speaking of the Prohibition regime one lady said that she had gone to a University where she was astounded to find that the students had a speeial bootlegger who supplied them with liquor." All were agreed that open dealing within the law was better than Prohibition and illicit dealing with bootleggers. Another, lady had said that no doubt the trouble at the polls in New Zealand was that the people had not experienced the evils of Prohibition as had been the ease in Canada. (Hear, hear.) Prohibition Corrupts Youth.

"On every hand," said Mr Wilford, "evidence was forthcoming that nnder Prohibition drinking amongst young people had reached alarming propor tions." A leading police office told him that under Prohibition the pocket flask brigade, or as the police called it: "The Mickey on the Hip Brigade," had been a sorry sight. The people had been led to believe that when Prohibition came the old boozers would die off, and that the younger generation would never know the taste of it. This polite officer had said: "The exact opposite occurred. Young boys and girls got the habit of drinking, and the scenes at public socials and dances were indescribable," and had concluded by saying: "Everyone who had the welfare of the young people at heart should fight against Prohibition, for it cannot be called temperance." (Applause.) The same story could be heard from coast to coast in Canada. The speaker had asked Sir Henry Thornton, of the Canadian National Bailway, what he thought of Prohibition, and his reply had been that it was a sham and a delusion, and could not be enforced, that no conntry having had Prohibition and then State Control would ever return to Prohibition and that the statement that Prohibition would be beneficial to the young would only be accepted by people who had never experienced prohibition.

In the province of Quebec the fine concrete roads, costing 24,000 dollars per mile, had been made out of the profits derived under the Government control of liquor. Premier Taschereau had told the speaker that the system was working splendidly and had proved a real measure, of temperance reform. Premier Taschereau. led a House of seventy-five members in which the opposition party only numbered nine; thus proving that the Government had the wholehearted support of the people. Premier Baxter, of New Brunswick, had endorsed the opinions of the other Premiers. After experiencing Prohibition he had'felt that ; the only thing for i man of honour to-do was to put into effect a law which, although not claimed to be perfect, could be observed. (Applause.) So-called Prohibition is Action. "When I reached the Province of Nova Scotia," said Mr Wilford, "I saw for the first time what is called Prohibition in action." He had interviewed Mr Bhodes, the Premier, who, when Nova Scotia carried Prohibition, sent "or the Prohibition leaders and asked them to name a chief inspector.' They had named the Bev. D. K. Grant, and when that gentleman had asked for two deputies the Government had given him eight, and backed this with the michinery for law enforcement. "What have they donef" said Mr Wil ford. "I interviewed the Bev. D. K. j Grant, -the chief enforcement official. ! He admitted he " 'fd'not enforce prohibition. The coast line made it impossible. Their revenue cutters were too slow and had no search lights, and fno guns except one Ros; rile. The fast speed liquor boats could, not be caught." When asked what he intended to do he had replied that he had written to the Prime Minister asking him to try to obtain from the British Government some fast revenue cutters, and have them manned by ex-naval men, and also see that they were provided with proper searchlights and guns. The speaker had asked, "Will you get them from the British Government?" and the chief enforcement officer, after hesitating, had said, shrugging his shoulders, that he hoped bo. (Laughter.) The Sev. Grant had admitted that tremenous quantities of liquor were sold by the Govern cnt stores ostensibly as medicine, and that some doctors gave prescriptions too. idily. "I left the Bev. Grant," said Mr Wilford, "realising that he himself had b little hope of enforcement and when I made enquiries outside I understood why. In one street alone in the town of Halifax, every third house was a sly grog shop. That was admitted by the police, and not denied by Mi Grant." The speaker described how the fishing towns on the sea coast ran a large i imber of schooners in the liquor trade. Vhen a schooner was built they floated stock on the share plan, half to the public and half the promoters. By the time there were a hundred or t -o schooners running there was a pretty strong combination of interested people in the illicit liqour trade. Mr Wilford related an amusing incident that occurred just after he arrived at tU~ principal h .tel at Halifax. The bellboy had brought beer and whisky to the speaker's bedroom, and when informed that it had not been ordered said that he mnst ave got the wrong number. (Laughter.) In order to f it th system of Prohibition he had asked a policeman in the main street of Halifax where he could get a whisky. The officer told him to go to the Government vendor's store in Bedford Bow. On Mr Wilford asking waa it

not necessary to have a doctor's prescription the officer bad smiled and tol' him just to mention, his name, which he gave him. .(Laughter,) "When I got into : the building," said Mr Wilford, "I found it to be a big store filled with liquor. There were seven men. at tv counter waiting their tiirn.,They all got liquor and I never saw one of them put down any prescription. When it cune to my turn I said,"A flask of gin, please." The man answered,. "One dollar seventy." (Laughter.) I put down two dolWrt. He gave me thirty cents change and pnt »' small fjqtiare'flask'on the counter. He asked no > questions.. I-waited" and asbedhim to wrap it up. He said "Put it in your pocket." I did (laughter), and brought it to New; Zealand, \ id 3s 6d duty o it here and . have it now in my possession unopened. A shipmate of mine, when' I told hi' ,the story, lost no time in buying a botye of-*h|iky at the same place. (Laughter.); Ana they call that Prohibition." The speaker continued' that right throughout Nova Scotia the bootlegger with his smuggled liquor, Customs duties, was selling his fflieit wares mow cheaply than eoiddbe done , nude* a legal system. Prohibit!™ in Nova Scotia had' failed to destroy the li or traffic. It had effected ' noiinoral reform. It had not imposed abstinence on the people, nor had it stopped economic waste in any way. . It was, in effect, hypocrisy masquerading .as sincerity. Even the Bev. 'Grant had admitted to the' speaker that a great deal of bootlegging wis going on, that there were many stills, and that he had knowledge of a bootlegger seDtag Uquor to boys and girls at school. This chief enforcement official, nominated the Prohibitio- 'sta, and himself a; Prohibitionist, hid admitted magistrateii would not convict in cases. - H« had said, "it is BO taking those, cases before jjories, Decause junta will not eonviet.

Corporate Control a Solution. Mr Wilford summed Up, Ms conelusions derived from his investigations in Canada'as being:— (1) That Prohibition is not temperanise. ~7 (2) That Prohibition cannot be enforced, and that the only way to eliminate bootlegging is to give people who want liquor system whereby they can obtain it within the law.

"I am satisfied," said Mr Wilford, "that only education and the force of public opinion will make for a sober people. Comparison of the conditions of twenty years ago with those of today indicate that we are advancing rapidly to that stage when public eontempt and disgust will end the abuse of liquor." The speaker coneludH by saying that he did not elaiiu that Stat® Control was perfect nor the only solution. Corporate Control with a business board and a preponderance of Government representation might .prove a better system. Under that scfieme the limitation of private profit and the distribution of all earnings over ton per cent, to publie purposes was an attractive proposal. There was no doubt that Corporate Control would make "for, better, accommodation, better service, better liquor, and would lead to temperance. "Tie proposal would certainly seem better suited to the conditions of New Zealand than complete Stato Control. The people, however, bad left to them on the ballot-paper a middle issue at the approaching poll, and they should use it to express their desire for'better conditions. "Whatever is done," saxd Mr Wilford, "at least I am sonvineod

that this country will doharm to itsoK, ~ and to its young people especially, if it ever carries Prohibition," (Applause.) t V tS* I fc' f • (Published by arrangement,) -