NO YANKEE BUNKUM ABOUT THIS!

Evening Star, Issue 17225, 15 December 1919, Page 8

NO YANKEE BUNKUM ABOUT THIS!

[Published by Abhaxgement.j

READ EVIDENCE OF LEADING CITIZEX. I'E U SONAL EN P E RIEX CE, RROHIBITIOnTx AMERICA. 1. notice tho claim made bv the Now Zealand Alliance that Prohibition lias proved _ satisfactory in America, and thai New Zealand visitors to that country recommend the people here to vote National Prohibition on Wednesday next. 1 have ii?st leuirued frcm America and can only say that this statement is entirely contrary to fact. The wealthy classes in American have their wine, spirits, etc., brought on to the hotel tables,_ while tho workers can procure only inferior spirit from sly grogsellers. Surely this is not true democracy, for at least there should be equal opportunity for all, and we may rest quite satisfied that the workers in America, and indeed in every country, will not tolerate such an unfair state of things for any length of time. 1 discussed this question with a great many employers, and, although some of tbom told me they had supported Prohibition, thinking they would get more work out of their "men. The great majority were entirely opposed to it. I cannot conceive anything more likely to foster Bolshevism in our midst than the carrying of National Prohibition, and it is tho duty of those of us who love our country to prove once and for all that wo are not going to be subjected to the tyranny of those people. Anyone who wishes to study the question of Prohibition in America cannot do better than rend an article which appeared in the ' National Review ' of July last by Professor Stephen Leacoek, Professor of Political Economy in the University of Montreal.' This article, which has been reprinted in your columns, in my opinion states the position very' fairly. 1 sincerely trust the result of tho poll on Wednesday next ( will be such that those connected with' the Prohibition movement will give up trying to force, upon us a condition which would be quite intolerable and distasteful to those who wish to live their lives in a respectable way and in the atmosphere _of freedom. W r e could then unite in promoting true temperance and happiness amongst tho people of tho Dominion. J. B. Reid. Elderslie, Oamaru, December 12.