"WET" PROPAGANDA

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 6, 8 January 1930, Page 9

"WET" PROPAGANDA

TO MODIFY PROHIBITION

LIGHT WINES AND BEER URGED

WASHINGTON, 30th December.

Propagandists, who declare themselves to be friends of tho farmers, are organising a big movement to modify prohibition so as to pcrinit the salq of light wines and beer as a farm relief measure. 'This is the latest, effort of the "Wet" block in Congress to make "a dignified effort" to show the necessity for modification. Their chief argument is their estimate that the £200,000,000 that now goes into the pockets of tho bootlegger would be returned to the Government by way of taxes, and that grapegrowers and farmers would benefit by the tremendous trade in wines "non-intoxicating in fact." It appears probable that the "Wets" will make a big effort to capitalise Senator Borah's recent strictures and the bloody encounters between coastguards and bootleggers into propaganda for orderly Government sale of liquor—something like tho system in vogue in Canada. Senator Thomas, a "Dry" from Oklahoma, condemned tho Government manufacture of liquor. "Tho Government has given permits for the erection of fivo new distilleries this year," said Senator Thomas, adding: "They are making whisky just to please disreputable drug stores. I contend that if there is medicinal valuo in liquor it comes from alcohol. Therefore, it is unnecessary to make whisky. That just opens another avenuo for graft in dispensing liquor." Representative Cochrnri said that move people aro confined to gaols and penitentiaries, moro liquor is being confiscated, and more stills are being destroyed than ever before. .There is moro liquor around Washington than ever, r '