Canadian Medical Men Praise State Control of Liquor

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10737, 7 November 1928, Page 8

Canadian Medical Men Praise State Control of Liquor

The extended trial that Orfmda . gave to prohibition eonvineecLtfne leaders of thought in every warfk of life that it was a. lamentable failure. The abandonment of prohibition, and the institution of State Control in its place, lias resulted in Widespread satisfaction. Among the' many letters received from prominent' Canadians, condemning prohibition and praising State Control, are several from leadors of the medical ([profession front*, which the following Ixtracts are t(Upon : • 1 - Jr Dr. H. B. AndersoTL. of < Ontario, writes:— •‘‘l may say that. I have always been in favor of as much lestriction in the use of alcoholic beverj ages as public sentiment will permit. I voted for the Ontario Temperance Act (Prohibition) when it was introduced some real’s age: hut the apparent, impossibility of its' enforcement under three successive Governments, the development of bootlegging to an unheard of extent, with the consequent enrichment-* of' a most undesirable the population,- the to . ' lawlessness, the deaih,

blindness, or serious illness from poisonous alcohol and'other abuses, convinced me that prohibitory legislation in advance of public sentiment was a failure. A gradually growing sentiment in favor of temperance and greater sobViety among the people, notice's. able for some years before pi ohiV bitory legislation‘was .introduced, f 1 received a distinct set-back. The I | preJSnt Government control.sys- ? | is being given a fair trial, L# -JP the Commission enforcing it Jjacting firmly and vigorously. Jf believe the present st stem ®tSpte Control.! in a m pavement on the.state oEdfimirs Jm fwbiclf existed undSjg so-caifed€>ro-M jfffibition, and hajrifbe approval of vpyrW r "t”i Di\ J# SM.DJ ’LD.D/M.ffi.C.S. (In if.),den#"o£ thj§ Ontario ifledieril Association. Toronto, wme^: — § Jt •‘Ei my oijjjliJSn the moral effect of ihM mbstit.n,Goii of Government Octroi system of Pralps’* bipon previously in been beneficial. I api opinion that the use by the people, under/JjSfy Government Control sysj^g^is restricted to asrJflitities, and that the 'abusajerff alcohol has been largely under prohibition, approaching a complete disregard of law and order, and in no places were the effects so disastrous as ill the home; where children daily

witnessed the use of alcohol, purchased illegally by their parent's, who were thus,, openly breaking what was then the law of the country. This unfortunate condition produced the inevitable reaction in thejSimniature mind of youth', whiclwdisplayed itself by the boastfuljarid flagrant indulgence of bat® sexes in the use of alcohol. Tljfre is no question of the unhappy effect.^.then engendered, but®ieserfSfay be overcome bv parentM: ana school edueationM ©lacked by a, wise and Jtearless jSfhte supervision, whichJfin tum/jcalwie.s behind ife the defiJn nite suf>p<Jpt and obligation of its M citizens.” | / 0 / -if Dr. Herbert A. Bruce, T\J«fC.S. Toronto, writes jflr “Tbe subsfiflution of State Control ij^piace of the system_of previously in fCfceT'has Ygtr a very beneficial effect. In--*i? s stead of the question of where al'r’ coholic beverages may be'procured—a very prominent subject for every social gathering—one now never hears it discussed. I think there is a real improvement in , general happiness, and certainly the State has had evidence of increased prosperity by getting the revenue derived from the sale of liquor instead of this finding its way into the hands of the bootleggers. Everybody seems quite, satisfied with the present IrfW. !,• personally, feel very strongly

that the system of State‘Control is vastly superior to prohibition.’’ The expression of opinion from Canada in favor of State Control as against prohibition is so overwhelming, that the people of New Zealand must heed the example of pur sister British Dominion, At the approaching poll electors will have the'opportunity of declaring against -prohibition, and in favor of true temperance, by voting for State Purchase and Control.—2. '- ' -