ANTI-PROHIBITIONISTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19302, 15 April 1926, Page 9

ANTI -PROHIBITIONISTS.

EVIDENCE AT WASHINGTON. DRINKING BY CHILDREN. A. and N.Z. WASHINGTON. April 13. The Judiciary Committee of the Senate resumed its hearing of evidence in connection with the draft measures designed to bring about the cancellation or modification of the Volstead Act. Mr. Stanley Shirk, research director of the New York Moderation League, stated in evidence that the numbers of drunken drivers and drunken children had increased far more than at any previous time. Now that the rising generation was drinking more thaii in the past, the conditions were becoming worse. Mr. Shirk went on to say that a national survey had revealed the fact that toe arrests for drunkenness in 157 representative places in the United States had increased from 250.G00 in 1920 to 550,000 in 1924.

Father Francis Kasaczun. whose parish is on the Pennsylvania!! coalfields, sniff prohibition had generally corrupted the mining communities. Those who made liquor in these communities sold it cheaply and it was easy to procure. Everybody obtained if. Children to-day were the victims of prohibition, said the witness. Ha quoted numerous instances of mothers and children who had been drunk and dissolute. The cases mentioned included a child three years of age who demanded tome moonshine whisky. Mrs. Viola Anglim, deputy chief probation officer of the New York Family Court, stated that the number of cases brought before the Court had increased since prohibition tame into force. Family suffering had been augmented. The anti-prohibitionists will conclude their evidence to-morrow, after which (he prohibitionists will call their witnesses. The Alcoholic Liquor Traffic Committee of the House of Representatives announced that it will begin next week a complete survey of the conditions which exist under prohibition.