PROHIBITION COLUMN

Evening Star, Issue 19764, 14 January 1928, Page 14

PROHIBITION COLUMN

[Published by Arrangement with the United Temperance Reform Council.] AN OUTSTANDING FACT. One million lives have been saved in five years of Prohibition in the United States by the reduction of the nation’s death rate. ANOTHER OUTSTANDING FACT. The cables of November 2 announce that the people of the United States are to have their taxes reduced a further £45,000,000 next year. This follows previous heavy reductions amounting to approximately £370,000,000 during the last three yeans. Yet there are people who assert that Prohibition means increased taxation. Prohibition promoting prosperity makes for reduced taxation. The liquor traffic pay no taxes. The drinkers pay the lot. Liquor sellers simply collect from the drinker and pay over “HONORABLE” GOVERNMENT.

Just before polling day in the New South Wales elections the president of the Wine and Spirit Grocers’ Defence Association made a revelation with respect to the Lang Government and liquor legislation. According to the report that appeared in the Sydney ‘ Sun” of October (3, 235 members of the association contributed £25 each to a fund to bo used for political purposes, the object being to secure an amendment to the licensing law that would permit grocers to sell a single bottle of wine or spirits which they cannot now do. The handling of the matter was. entrusted to an organiser, who, it was alleged, entered into negotiations with those in power. .It would appear, however, that tho money was not actually paid over, and the brewers came along with a better offer, with the result that the grocers did not get the amendment that they wanted, and were unable to obtain any satisfaction as to how the money subscribed had been disposed of. The president of the association said: “Do you know why you did not get the amendment? Because you did not pay your money over. If you had done so, I am told, you would have got the amendment. The plain fact is wo did not trust them, and they did not trust us.” He also said: “If the Government had been truthful and honorable you would have go it. Had you been willing to pay the money over beforehand you would have got it. Tho amendment was up for tho highest bidder. That’s it.”

Apparently, in the view of the Grocers’ Association, it would be quite an honorable thing for the Government to have accepted their money to work an amendment to the licensing laws in their favor, but it is a dishonorable thing for them to accept the bigger amount presumably offered by the brewers in order to prevent the grocers getting what they wanted. The attitude of liquor dealers all over tho world to Governments was very aptly expressed In this comment Ir, another member, who said: “it did not matter a straw to him whether their request was placed before a Labor or a National Government or any other Government.” The liquor traffic will buy aud corrupt any Government, irrespective of party, that is willing to do its dirty work. WE ARE ALL DRY. Senator Borah, one of the most prominent figures in tho political life of America, says:— ‘ 1 The man in the automobile may be opposed to the Eighteenth Amendment, but be will instantly discharge a drinking chauffeur. Tho train may be crowded with delegates to tho Anti-Pro-hibition Convention, but they would mob the engineer who would take a drink while drawing bis precious freight. The industrial magnate may talk critically of sumptuary laws, but ho will apply them, like a despot, to the man who watches over tho driving power of his vast establishment. When safety is involved, we arc ail dry. Where tho exigency of modern life demands a clear brain and instant decision, in order to save lives and property, we are all dry.” SHIPPING. Prohibition Ims not hurt the passenger business of the United States lines. This is the statement made by A. C. Dalton, president of the Merchant Fleet Corporation, upon hi.s return to Washington after spending more than a mouth in Europe. This, from an official who has the beet possible opportunity to know what is the result of Prohibition upon shipping, is an effective answer to opponents of Prohibition who have asserted that travellers would not take passage on vessels which did not serve liquor. Dalton said that vessels now carry more passengers than in years past, despite the absence of bars, and that he personally would disapprove the restoration of bars, even if they were per-

mitted by law. Young persons, he declared, now patronise the dance floors provided on all passenger vessels of the Government Merchant Marine, in lieu of spending their time in the bars. The United States lines, according to Dalton, are popular with American travellers, and tho bookings were “ far in excess” of those of last year and of previous years. EFFICIENT PRODUCTION. Sir Arthur Balfour is a leader in commerce and the Government’s adviser in trade and economic problems. He has been to the United States, and whilst there learned much of the effects of Prohibition. Ho told the Sheffield Chamber of Commerce that Prohibition was giving the United States 20*pcr cent, advantage in production over us in tho competition for tho trade of the world. Drink reduces the quantity, impairs the quality, and increases tho cost of production. THE DRINK BILL FOR NORTHERN IRELAND. This may be estimated at £4,960,000, or approximately £5,000,000, an expenditure of £3 16s per head in a population of 1,279,000. Large as these figures are for such a comparatively small area as the six counties, it is gratifying to know that they are tho lowest in the British Isles. Thus, comparing the expenditure per head in tho different areas:

KNOWN BY ITS FRUITS. “ As final as the abolition of slavery ” is the way Henry Ford regards the passing of the commercialised liquor trade, as recently asserted by him in an interview given to the United Press. Prohibition is no longer a “ debatable question,” in his opinion. “We have comparatively little difficulty in enforcing the law among our men,” he said. ,r We have proven that it can be enforced. “ Any_ thinking person knows that Prohibition is a good thing. The present law is the kind of law which accomplishes the purposes for which it was enacted, if it is properly enforced. Enforce that law, and there is no doubt what you will have—you, will have Prohibition.”

England and Wales ... £7 7 0 Scotland ... 6 2 0 Great Britain (average) ... 7 4 0 Irish Free State ... 5 15 0 Northern Ireland ... 6 16 0