“THE WORSHIP OF WOODEN GODS”

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 196, 14 May 1924, Page 8

“THE WORSHIP OF WOODEN GODS”

Sir, —It is a pity that Mr. Malton Murray, the assistant secretary to the New Zealand Alliance, which is niorelv a political, not a temperance or a reforming party in New Zealand, should misrepresent Dr. Nicholas Murray Butler, who is the president of the Columbia University, the largest and most influential educational institute in U.S.A., with respect to what that eminent professor said concerning tho operation and effects of prohibition in that country. Under prohibition U.S.A, has experienced an enormous increase in crime, lawlessness and divorce —evils that prohibition was promised bv its advocates and adherents to mitigate, for it was alleged that these evils wore duo to the licensed sale of alcoholic liquors The unlicensed sale —boot-legging—lias _ aggravated and intensified those evils. Yet tho prohibitionists for political reasons, and tho boot-leggers for profit and plunder. are now combined to maintain prohibition. That is a strange irony of circumstances.’ but it is a fact. Dr. Butler was misrepresented by Mr. Malton Murray when he says the professor stated . “that tho. Quebec system was superior to prohibition.” No such statement is contained in your news cable on which Mr. Malton Murray bases his assertion. Dr. Butler said this: “What we need is a liquor policy similar to that of Quebec which would pour into the Treasury five hundred million dollars a year (£100,000.000) that is now going to the boot-legger.” Professor Butler here mad* tea tjuaction an

economic one. One hundred millions sterling was going to the boot-legger instead of into the Treasury of U.S.A., and the prohibitionists in U.S.A., and in New Zealand apparently approve of a political system that would abolish licensing and its legitimate revenues to the State in order to create unlicensed (traite, smuggling and boot-legging, to the detriment of the people’s health and morals, and an enormous loss to the country’s exchequer.

Under prohibition U.S.A, has become, as has frequently been averred, “a nation of hypocrites.” Dr. Butler says this of Americans: “AVe are going down into the valley of darkness, lawlessness, and contempt for Prohibitionists have brought untold and unmeasurable evil and iniquity to U.S.A., and with a persistency worthy of a better cause, they still believe that their wooden god, is the saving health of the nation. The conclusion that any intelligent person must come to on reviewing the effects of prohibition on the people of U.S.A, is that any form of regulation or control is infinitely better than the adoption of a demoralising policy such as prohibition has proved from America’s experience. _ Even distinguished prohibitionists in U.S.A, have come under the corrupting influence of prohibition, and are “doing time” for their wickedness. Mr. Malton Mun-ay draws a comparison between the convictions for drunkenness in Montreal and New Zealand. In the former there were seven per 1000 of the population, and in this Dominion six ner 1000 of the population of such convictions. And under prohibition in U.S.A, the returns available show that U.S.A is more intemperate than the people of New Zealand under the present licensing system. A’.’herein lies the necessity then for the continuance of the New Zealand Alliance, when, even on Air. Malton Alurray’s showing, we are a temjjerate and law-abiding nation? —I am, etc., J. D. SIEVWRIGHT. P.S.—lt is gratifying to note that the trustees of Columbia University have declined to allow Dr. Butler to be crucified bv the Methodist Conference.—J.D.S.