PROHIBITION IN U.S.A.

Southland Times, Issue 19255, 20 June 1921, Page 2

PROHIBITION IN U.S.A.

To the Editor. Sir, —The Pussyfoots in America and elsewhere are having a very rough time of it just now. Their old theory that ninetenths of the crime of the world was due to drinking alcohol has dropped down dead without hope of resurrection. I have just been reading an item of news clipped from the Melbourne Age and copied by some of the dominion’s dailies, containing an account of the extraordinary increase in crime since the enactment of the Prohibition laws in America, more especially during last year. The writer’s statement is as follows: —“A general wave of crime is sweeping over the States from New York to Ban Francisco not due to drink. Murder and robbery are of almost hourly occurrence. Sexual crimes are increasing and as a rule the crooks are sober and difficult to arrest, as they get. away in motors. Suicide is also on the increase, due to Prohibition, drugs and other causes. The number of suicides last year (1920) in the United States being 6171, an increase of more than 1000 over 1919.” This is a strong indictment ,which cannot be refuted, the figures being official. Coming nearer home we have the latest Pussyfoot importation in the person of Cairo Bradley asking us to believe that this no-licehse town of Invercargill is a cesapool of vice and iniquity. Truly it would be difficult to beat the Pussyfoot at the task of fouling his own nest. In conclusion I may state if any of your readers has doubts regarding the statements contained in this letter I shall be pleased to forward to your office extracts of the news items referred to here for their inspection. —I am, etc., J. ALLEN. Elies Road. (Britain and most other countries experienced similar crime waves after the war.— Ed. S.T.)