PROHIBITION’S BIRTHDAY

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 January 1930, Page 7

PROHIBITION’S BIRTHDAY

TEN YEARS’ EXPERIENCE

RIVAL CELEBRATIONS (By Cable—Press Abbo.—Copyright.) WASHINGTON, January 16. The tenth anniversary of the enactment of Prohibition on January 16, 1920, was celebrated to-day throughout the nation and in Congress. Senator Blaine offered a resolution for the repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment. He declared that it is not able to be enforced except with the use of sheriffs and of a Federal Judge in every township. “Experience demonstrates that Prohibition is a failure,” he said. “It was bound to be a failure! Any law to regulate the purely personal habits and customs of the people has always been a failure. Nowhere, and in no time, has Prohibition been enforced or able to be enforced.”

Senator Sheppard rose to review the achievements “of this noble experiment.” He said: “Prohibition continues its triumphant trend, and is necessary in this age of machinery.”

Representative Cooper, speaking in the House on the question said: “The history of the liquor traffic reveals it as a foe to orderly government, and a breeder of lawlessness, and on no other terms can the law-abiding people of our country meet it except upon that of unconditional surrender. Boston saw tlie Liberal Civic League, which opposes Prohibition, hold a meeting “In memoriam for the Death of Liberty and for the 1363 who have been killed in civil war by Prohibition.”

The organised “Drys” were represented by W.C.T.U., and heard the United States Commissioner of Prohibition Doran outline the progressively more successful work of his unit. “America is becoming gradually drier every day,” he said. How public sentiment was divided was indicated by the wearing of white rosettes by Prohibitionists, and black ones by anti-Prohibitionists. Chicago W.C.T.U. had a birthday party with a cake and ten candles. The cake was cut and the guests were served. The W.C.T.U. says: “It is in the constitution, and it is there to stay.” Detroit saw a meeting representative of the National Anti-Saloon .League, at which a reaffirmation of policy read: “The need for such an organisation as the Anti-Saloon League was never more imperative than today. The task to which the League is committed has not been fully accomplished. Resolutely and devotedly we set ourselves to a completion of the task. We stand for adequate appropriations to meet the demand for making the Eighteenth Amendment fully effective.” Other interesting developments during the day were an exchange of liquor treaties between Japan and the United States, whereby the former extends to America the right to board, search and seize any Japanese vessels illegally carrying liquor within hours of sailing distance of the United States’ shores. It is announced that a Canadian and American Conference to examine the question of border control for the purpose of better controlling the flow of liquor across the Canadian line, will shortly be held. It is undei stood that no effort will be made to conclude any treaty on the question, but that unofficial agreements would be worked out for mutual co-operation.