BITTER MEMORIES FOR AMERICAN WOMEN.

Franklin Times, Volume XXV, Issue 128, 4 November 1935, Page 6

BITTER MEMORIES FOR AMERICAN WOMEN.

A well-known Christchurch business man. who has just returned from an extensive business visit to the United States, made some very interesting remarks in regard to the opinions of people with whom he came in contact regarding the aftermath of prohibition. ‘“Before I went away,” stated this New Zealander, “I was not prepared to condemn prohibition so utterly as lam to-day. If only those people who believe in prohibition for New Zealand could visit America and talk to the best type of citizen there, particularly the women folk, they would fight tooth and nail to prevent prohibition ever coming to this country. Not once, but dozens of times, people said to me that prohibition was the worst thing that had ever happened to America. Women were the most bitter. They blamed prohibition for giving the younger generation a wrong attitude towards drinking. While visiting the home of an American manufacturer I was shown a 2acre paddock surrounded by an Bft. fence surmounted by spikes. This was lhe kiddies’ playground. The father explained to me that the kidnapping ‘racket,’ which had reached an alarming extent, was a direct outcome of prohibition. Prohibition had created a well-organised army of criminals, who, with the repeal of prohibition, had turned to kidnapping to provide the easy money to which they had become accustomed.

“I can honestly state that during my stay in America I did not see one drunken man on the streets. I will not say that I did not encounter any excessive drinking at all, but it was most significant to me that in those -

States which offer the greatest facililies for the sale of alcoholic beverages there was definitely less abuse. Some States had a form of State control. with no licensed hotels, and it was in these States that the prohibition habit of surreptitious drinking still persisted to a certain extent.”

The evidence has always been overwhelmingly against prohibition. To-day the idea of advocating prohibition is ludicrous. Prohibition has not a single worth-while achievement to record it. It has failed utterly whereever it has been tried. It is a law that has been outlawed by all nations. New Zealand’s verdict for Continuance should be as emphatic as possible. 3