PROHIBITION LAW

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 180, 24 April 1924, Page 7

PROHIBITION LAW

' MODIFICATION CAMPAIGN DOCTOR QUOTES LUNACY FIGURES By Telegraph—Press Associatiob, Copyright. (Rec. April 23, 5.5 p.m.) Washington, April 22. Dr. J. W. Hall, the noted physician, and chairman of the Chicago Lunacy Commission, appearing before a committee which is considering 59 Bills, with clauses on these subjects, to liberalise prohibition, declared that insanity in Chicago had increased more than fifteenfold since prohibition had been enforced. He urged a modification of the Volstead Act, saying: “In 1916 we sent 98 alcoholic insanity cases to the Psychopathic Hospital, whereas in 1922 we sent 1100, and last year 1500. Moreover, the alcoholio subject was formerly merely indolent and shiftless, but now, with poisoned liquor in the system, he becomes a murderer, maniac, wife-beater, and train-wrecker. I believe that light wines and beer will cure tho situation. It is worth trying, because the present law must toe changed.” Federal Judge Priest, of Missouri, stated that prohibition had been effected by an extravagant expenditure of money to create public sentiment. He added: “My experience on the bench convinces ine that the dry law, as written, can never be enforced. It has made America a nation of hypocrites, If we could obtain the vote of every citizen who violated the Volstead Act we could repeal it tomorrow Dr. J. C. Vorbeck, a recognised authority on human metabolism, asserted the adoption of prohibition influences toy the American Medical Society’s 1917 resolution, denying that alcohol possessed food of therapeutic value, adding: “The question has been long in dispute, tout if Con gress followed the society in 1917, it should heed the latter’s resolution of 1922, stating that alcohol taken m liquors aids physical and organic functions.”—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.