WHY CANADA ABANDONED PROHIBITION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20099, 9 November 1928, Page 17

WHY CANADA ABANDONED PROHIBITION.

(Published by Arrangement.)

MR T M. WILFORD. M.P., TELLS HIS EXPERIENCES. (fipcrial Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Nov. 8. "WliPn in a prohiViition country, a Judge in 11m Court has a bootlegger himself, and is Irving a bootlegger before a jury, at, least half of whom havo bo ° l " loggers, what, can you expect?" said Judge A very to 1110 in Canada. Thus Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P., opened an address before a crowded audience in Wellington on the subject, of Ins experiences of I he, State Control of Liquor, as adopted in Canada, after that, country had given prohibition a thorough trial. 'J lie Venerable Archdeacon Williams, president of the Licensing Reforin Association, presided. Ho said that Mr. Wilford had acceded to the association's request to make public his experiences in Canada, so that the people of New Zealand might understand why that country had abandoned prohibition, and adopted State Control. He would urge tho people of New Zealand to make use of tho middle issue of State Control as an indication that thev wanted reforming legislation. (Applause. ) Mr. Wilford, who was received with prolonged applause, said his personal experiences covered tho principal cities of tho provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. He had not visited Prince Edward Island, which, with Nova Scotia, was still called a prohibition province*; but prohibition existed there only in name. In Nova Scotia he had found that the amount of liquor sold fer medicinal purposes would lead one to believe that the province was one great hospital. He had investigated matters concerning the drink question from Victoria on the west to Halifax on tho cast; interviewing Premiers, police officers, writers, business men, shopkeepers, clerks, manufacturers, and manv C.N.R. officials, and at the end of his tour had come to tho definite conclusion that prohibition had utterly failed. Hid first visit in British Columbia had been to tho homo of Dr. McLean, the then Premier, who told him that both t.e and his wife had been prohibitionists, that they had done all they could to get prohibition carried; but that they had found it, in operation, futile, unenforcable, and a farce. Young people who had not thought of drinking before had quickly become addicts, the Premier had said, and that vilo decoctions, hitherto unknown, had been used when legally manufactured spirits could not be procured. Tho Premier had helped to repeal the prohibition law, and to get State Control substituted, for prohibition was not a deterrent. (Hear, hear.) Prohibition a Scandal. In Vancouver Mr. Wilford had interviewed the heads of tho enforcement system of State Control and the police chiefs. They informed him that they had voted prohibition in the first place, and had originally hoped it would work, but. before long found it impossible of enforcement. Bootlegging flourished, witnesses in liquor cases would nut give evidence against offenders, and young men and girls as soon as liquor was made "forbidden fruit" started in to defy the law and drink as they had never drunk before. Prominent citizens like Dr. Gatewood, Mr. Burns, Mr. E. B. Cave, and Mr. Fitzpatrick, among others, had told him that tho stale of tho city under prohibition had been a scandal. Canned heat or methylated spirits were consumed by tho old topers, and vile and poisonous liquor was sold, oven to boys and girls, by unscrupulous bootleggers. He had also interviewed employees of the Hudson Bay Stores, and in many shops. They all agreed that Stato Control was miles ahead of prohibition. At Edmonton, the capital of Alberta, Mr. Wilford had interviewed the members of Parliament, and found one man only who said that he thought that prohibition could bo enforced. He had spent two hours with tho Hon. J. E. Brownlee, tho Premier, who intimated that he had been a life-long prohibitionist; but that public opinion could not bo raised in the province to-day to give prohibition a chance of success, if a poll or plebiscite was now taken. State Control was working well. Tho Premier had stated that tho change to prohibition was too drastic and that ho was quite satisfied that no reversion from Stato Control was now in sight. At Reginn, the capital of Saskatchewan, the speaker had had a long interview with Mr. Gardiner, Premier of Saskatchewan, another who had been an ardent prohibitionist. He had agreed with Mr. Brownlee that tho change to prohibition was disastrously sudden, and that education must precede prohibition. He had explained that local option was possible in districts under tho Saskatchewan Law, so that 113 districts could each, if they liked, become dry. But he admitted that they had not becomo dry, and agreed that tho pcoplo of the provinco would not vote for prohibition to-day. The shopkeepers of Regius, had assured Mr. Wilford that conditions were better under Stato Control than under prohibition.

At tliu time of Mr. Wilford's visit tlie Premier of Manitoba, Mr. Bracken, had l)noi» ill, but the speaker had soon Mr. Clubh, the Deputy-Premier, who, while personally inclined to prohibition, had said that Stale Control had abolished bootlegging and tho unspeakable evils that went with it; and had agreed with tho other Premiers that no vote taken to-day would repeal Control for Prohibition. The speaker had interviewed twentyseven shopkeepers in Winnipeg, the capital of Manitoba, and not oneo did ho hear a favourable word for prohibition. One woman had said to him "Give mo control, not prohibition. Under control my husband goes to the store, buys a Lottie of good liquor, and brings it homo. Under prohibition ho went with friends to bootleggers and sometimes didn't return at all He wasn't able to."

Election Fought on Repeal of Prohibition.

In Ontario, Mr. Wilford stated, ho had met Premier Ferguson, who had fought his recent election on tho abolition of prohibition and the institution of State Control. "He won," said Mr. Wilford "with a majority of about a-quarter of a million votes." (Applause.) Premier Ferguson had told him how, under prohibition. doctors issued prescriptions for fivo million dollars' worth in one year. Boot loggers, defying the law, flourished, buying expensive mansions and cars, flaunting 1 hoir wealth arrogantly in the public places, and selling thirty-five million dollars' worth of liquor in twelve months. Smuggling could not be stopped. Bad liquor smashed homes, poisoned

drinkers, and broke up families. Young men and girls had sought forbidden fruit and schemed for liquor where formerly they hadn't thought of it. Tho easo of manufacture and huge profits readily made smashed tho moral fibre of the people. Premier Ferguson had determined to bring this state of things to an end, and tho people rallied to his aid in abolishing prohibition and setting up State Control in its place. (Applause.) Canon Cody, a famous Anglican minister, went to Alberta to investigate State Control; ho came back to Ontario convinced, and said so. 'J hen l)r. McGilvlav, a noted Presbyterian minister, investigated State Control in other provinces, and became converted. Father Burke, of (lie Ib.mati Catholic Church, joined these two divines in the movement for tho repeal of prohibition and the people began to take an interest. Then Mrs. Emily Murphy, a police magistrate of Edmonton, made a public statement in which she said she had opposed State Control in Alberta on platform and by pen before it became law. but that, after several years administering it, she had found her fears had proved unfounded, for the State Control law was well conceived and well enforced. Premier Ferguson had told the speaker that when scores of tho leaders in every walk of life throughout the province had joined this movement, and publicly stated that the responsibility of the homo, the school, and the Church called for the repeal of prohibition the people of Ontario fob lowed their lead. (Applause.) State Control Better. "At Ottawa," continued Mr. Wilford, "I was the guest of the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Hon. Randolph Lemieux. I met all tho principal men in the Parliament there, and had opportunities of discussing this matter with some of those who had been prominent in the prohibition movement of the past. I never found one who approved of tho operations of so-called prohibition. Speaking of the prohibition regime one lady said that she had gone to a university where she was astounded to find that the students had a special bootlegger who supplied them with liquor." All were agreed that open dealing within tho law was better than prohibition and illicit dealing with bootleggers. Another lady had said that no doubt the trouble at tho polls in New Zealand was that the people had not experienced the evils of prohibition as had been tho case in Canada. (Hear, hear.) Prohibition Corrupts Youth. "On every hand," said Mr. Wilford, "evidence was forthcoming that under prohibition drinking among young people had reached alarming proportions." A loading police officer told him that under prohibition the pocket flask brigade, or as the police called it, "The Mickey on the llip Brigade," had been a sorry sight. Tho people had been led to believe that when prohibition came tho old boozers would die off, and that the younger generation would never know tho taste of it. This police officer had said: "The exact opposite occurred. Young boys and girls got the habit ol drinking, and the scenes at public socials and dances were indescribable." and had concluded by saying: "Everyone who had the welfare of the young people at heart should fight against prohibition, for it cannot be called temperance." (Applause.) The same story could be heard from coast to coast in Canada.

Tho speaker had asked Sir Henry Thornton, of the Canadian National Railway, what he thought of prohibition, and his reply had been that it was a sham and a delusion, and could not be enforced, that no country having had prohibition and then State Control would ever return to prohibition, and that the statement that prohibition would be beneficial to the young would only be accepted by people who had never experienced prohibition. In the province of Quebec the fine concrete roads, costing 24,000 dollars per mile, had been made out of the profits derived under the Government control of liquor. Premier Tascbereau had told the speaker that the system was working splendidly and had proved a real measure of temperance reform. Premier Tasnhereau led a Jlouso of seventy-five members in which the opposition party only numbered nine; thus proving that tho Government had the wholehearted support of the people. Premier Baxter, of New Brunswick, had endorsed the opinions of the other Premiers. After experiencing prohibition he had felt that the only thing for a man of honour to do was to put into effect a law which, although not claimed to be perfect, could be observed. (Applause. ) * So-Called Prohibition in Action. "When I reached tho province of Nova Scotia," said Mr. Wilford, "I saw for tho first timo what is called prohibition in action." He had interviewed Mr. Rhodes, tho Premier, who, when Nova Scotia carried prohibition, sent for the prohibition leaders and asked them to name a chief inspector. They had named* the Rev. D. K. Giant, and when that gentleman had asked for two deputies t lie Government had given him eight, and backed this with the machinery for law enforcement. "What have they done?" said Mr. Wilford. "1 interviewed the Rev. D. K. Grant, the chief enforcement official. He admitted ho could not enforce prohibition. Tho coast line made it impossible. Their revenue cutters were too slow and had no searchlights, and no guns except ouo Ross riflo. Tho fast speed liquor boats could not bo caught." When asked what he intended to do lie had replied that ho had written to the Prime Minister asking him to try to obtain from tho British Government some fast revenue cutters and have them manned by ex-naval men, and also see that they were provided with proper searchlights and guns. Tho speaker had asked: "Will you net them from tho British Government?" and tho chief enforcement officer, after hesitating, had said, shrugging his shoulders, that ho hoped so. (Laughter.) The Rev. Grant had admitted that tremendous quantities of liquor were sold by the Government stores ostensibly as medicine, and that, some doctors gave prescriptions too readily.

"I loft tho Rev Grant," sairl Mr. Wilford, "realising ilint lie himself had but- little hope of successful enforcement, and when I mado inquiries outside I understood why. In one street alone in the town of Halifax every third house was a sly-prog shop. '1 hat was admitted by (he police, and not denied by Mr. Grant."

Tim speaker described liuw the. fishing towns on t h o sea coast ran u largo mmllmt" of schooners in llio liquor trade. When a schooner was built they floated stock on the share plan, half to the public. and half to promoters. By the time there wore a hundred or two schooners running there was a. pretty strong combination of interested people iu the illicit liquor trade. Mr. Wilfonl related an amusing incident. that occurred just after ho arrived at the principal hotel at Halifax. Tins bellboy had brought beer and whisky to tho speaker's bedroom, and when informed that it had not been ordered said that he must have got tho wrong number. (Laughter.) In order to test tho system of prohibition ho asked a, policeman in the main street of Halifax where ho could get a whisky. The oflicer told him to go to the Government vendor's store in Bedford Kow. On Mr. Wilford asking was it not necessary to have a doctor's prescription the oflicer had smiled and told him just mention his name, which he gave him. (Laughter.) "When I got into tho building," said Mr. Wilford, "I found it to be u big store filled with liquor. There were seven men at the counter waiting their turn. They all got liquor and I never saw 0110 of them pub down any prescription. When it came to my turn I said, 'A flask of gin, please,' Tho man answered, 'One dollar seventy.' (Laughter.) I put down two dollars. lie gn\ r e 1110 thirty cents change and put. a small squfiro flask on the counter. He ask«d no questions. I waited and asked him t<> wrap it up. Ho said, 'Put it in your pocket.' 1 did—(laughter)—and brought if, in Now Zealand, paid 3s 5d duty on it here and liavo it now in my possession

unopened. A shipmate of mine, when $ told him the story, lost no time in buy* ing a bottlo of whisky at tho isama place* (Laughter.) And they call that prohibition."

Tho speaker continued that righti throughout Nova Scotia the bootlegger with his smuggled liquor, by evading Customs duties, was selling his illicit warea more cheaply than could bo dono under a legal system. Prohibition in Nova Scotia had failed to destroy the liquor traffic. Jt had effected no moral reform. It had not imposed abstinence on the people, nor had it stopped economic waste in any way. It was, in effect, hypocrisy masquerading as sincerity. Even the linv. Grant liad admitted to thq speaker that a great deal of bootlegging was going on, that there wero many stills, and that he had knowledge of a bootlegger selling liquor to boys and girls at school. 'J'his chief enforcement official, nominated by the prohibitionists, and himself a prohibitionist, had admitted that certain magistrates would not, convict in liquor cases. He had said, "Jt is no nse taking these cases before juries, because juries will not convict." Corporate Control a Solution.

Mr. Wilford summed up his conclusion! derived from his investigations in Canada as being:—

(1) That prohibition is not temperance. (2) That prohibition cannot bo enforced, and that tho only way to eliminate boot legging is to give people who want liquor a system whereby they can obtain it within the law.

"1 am satisfied," said Mr. Wilford, "that only education and tho force of public opinion will make for a sober people. Comparison of tho conditions of twenty years ago with thoso of today indicate that we are advancing rapidly to that stage when public contempt and disgust will end the abuse of liquor.' Tho .speaker concluded by saying that he did not claim that State was perfect nor tin only solution. Corporate Control with a business board and a preponderance of Govern-, mcnt representation might prove a better system. Under that scheme the limitation of private profit and the distribution ol all earnings over ten per cent, to public purposes was an attractive proposal. There was no doubt that Corporate Control would make for better accommodation, better service, better liquor, and would lead to temperance. That proposal would certainly seem better suited io the conditions of New Zealand than complete State Control. The people, however, had left to them on tho ballot-paper a middle issue at (he approaching poll, and they should use it to express their desire for better conditions. "Whatever is done," said Mr. Wilford, "at least I am convinced that this country will do harm to itself. and to its young people especially, if if ever carries prohibition." (Applause. )