TO MAKE PROHIBITION PROHIBIT.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 956, 2 July 1908, Page 22

TO MAKE PROHIBITION PROHIBIT.

THE BUG UNDER THE CHIP. Very naturally those who favour prohibition are suspicious when Greeks come bearing gifts. For that reason they are slow to accept the proposition of the United States National Model License League to amend the prohibition laws so as to provide a heavy penalty for the purchase of alcoholic beverages, or for having them in possession in prohibition territory. The National Model License League is opposed to prohibition, and when it offers to help make prohibition effective, those who favour prohibition begin to look for the bug under, the chip. ' Nevertheless, the proposition of the Model License League appears to be both sensible and reasonable, whether there is any ulterior motive behind it or not. The object of prohibition is to stop the consumption of intoxicants. . If it' is right, that the should prohibit the sale" of liquor, why should it not. also prohibit the 'purchase of it? It is bn the same principle,,that, the man who accepts a bribe is just as guilty as the man who< offers It, or- •< it the ri ; ! ft-.' ; f?-’'-’ -ft -ft '

drinking of liquor produces a long train of ills, and it is deemed best to abolish its sale, it should also be a good idea to prohibit anyone having it in his possession, on the same principle that the carrying of concealed weapons is deemed a menace to the peace. Prohibition will not have accomplished its real purpose until it has reduced liquor drinking to a mini-

mum or stopped it altogether. This will be impossible as long as liquor is manufactured and its consumption legalised. Those who favour prohibition hope ultimately to see the manufacture of liquor stopped in this country. Then it will be necessary to prohibit its importation from other countries. But to stop its consumpntion it will be necessary to enforce drastic laws against any person having it in his possession, even though he makes it himself for his own private use.

Tn the meantime there has to be a let of experimenting, and it might no t be a bad idea to follow the suggestions of the Model License League in o’’der to prove that prohibition can be made effective. —Shreveport (La., U..A), ‘'Times.”