The Evening Star FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 1929. THE N.Z. ALLIANCE’S ALTRUISM.

Evening Star, Issue 20119, 8 March 1929, Page 8

The Evening Star FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 1929. THE N.Z. ALLIANCE’S ALTRUISM.

Thu New Zealand Alliance makes public complaint that at the last poll ou the liquor question money won. It is claimed that the “ liquor monopoly”— a new name for “the trade” and hardly an accurate one—disclosed huge financial resources and applied them in propaganda work. By a system of levies the trade undoubtedly can command big funds, and the way in which it is applying them is the way which the Prohibitionists themselves instituted from the beginning of the plebiscites on local option. Admittedly they are quite uuabie to maintain the pace now set by their opponents, and a proposal is now under consideration to institute a levy for Prohibition propaganda all the year round and every year. And the solo contributors to that levy are to be those opposed to Prohibition. Moreover, the services of three State departments are to lie requisitioned in the expenditure of the money bo obtained. Briefly the proposal is that under the auspices of tho Health Department, the Education Department, and the Publicity Department a board should bo set up to “ tench ” the community to urge one side only of a very debatable question. Government departments are mostly “ good spenders ” ; and, as outsiders are to cooperate, there would be some attractive billets for rhetoricians and others who in tho phrase of tho stage may be “ resting ” or otherwise biding their lights under bushels. The eagerness ot consumers of alcoholic liquor to provide the salaries of people employed to denounce them can readily be imagined. Solely at the cost of non-abstainers, their children would have drilled into them in school how unfortunate they are in their choice of parents. The Prohibitionists would contribute nothing to the cost, because they contribute nothing to the revenue ,I'roin alcoholic beverages (or wo hope they do not), imd they propose that the lunds bo derived from appropriating 2} per cent, of that revenue. Their alternative is to increase the already high taxation on all classes of alcoholic liquor. The scheme of making the enemy pay lor the war in advance is delightfully naive. In view of the figures at last years referendum, we forbear to say anything as to its equity or its prospects. But we should like to - hear what the Prohibitionists would say if the trade presented its last campaign bill to the Prohibitionists, together with an allocation of the requisite levy amongst the latter solely. Optimism has always been a trait ol tho New Zealand Alliance. On tins occasion the inevitable reference to America’s experience show's a somewhat diluted optimism. It is distinctly underproof: “ In regard to the position in the United States an impartial survey of the evidence indicates that, despite inevitable initial difficulties, the general effects of the prohibitory law are good. The election of Mr Hoovei as President is a conspicuous sign of the determination of this nation of 120,000,000 people to hold fast the benefits already experienced, to consolidate the position, and to make no concession to the forces of anarchy and disintegration.” The latter phrase is perhaps unfortunate, seeing that President Hoover, in his inaugural speech this week, has specifically named Prohibition as ono of the main causes of tho anarchy and disintegration which show so alarming an increase in tho United States. To show' that vve are not singular in this view we quote from an editorial in the Christchurch ‘ Press ’ on President Hoover’s speech: “Above all, he has made it clear that Prohibition has shaken the foundation of law and order, and almost of the whole social fabric. No ono who remembers the kind of man the President is, or the energy with which Prohibitionists all over the world are seeking to identify him with the Prohibition cause, will read anything into his references to the Eighteenth Amendment but an al- , most despairing admission of failure.” 'lt surely must be so when huge addiI tional sums are appropriated by ConI gress to mitigate the scandal of nonenforcement, when a National Commission is necessary to devise “ a method of enforcing the Eighteenth Amendment” after nine years of growing futility, and when the. President deems it necessary to ask his colleagues in

Cabinet, Federal judges, and other officials to abandon drinking in practically any company whatever (which surely is putting a premium on tho insidious practice of tho “ silent nipper'’). Thus is a start being made to make Washington “ dry.” The framers of the law and its highest administrators are by force of example to prepare th© bootleggers and their clients for tho coming conversion on lines to be laid down by tho National Commission, and the indispensable collection plate will bo kept full out of an overflowing Treasury. Self-confessedly “dry" America is in far greater need of the process.known as “ taking a pull ” than almost any “ wet ” country.