The copper era and Morenci leader., 1914-10-23
TEMPERANCE NOT
PROHIBITION

] uUIIIDIIIUV
Professor Munsterberg Restates His
Defense of Moderate Drinking.
We all agree that alcoholic intern
perance is one of the greatest sources
of human misery, being the direct
cause of a large part of crime, of power
ty, of illness, of insanity, of early
death, and in the next generation, of
idiocy and depravity. We all agree
further that all alcoholic beverages are
dangerous for children and psychopa-
thics; and we agree that to fight
against such evils is the duty of every
conscientious reformer. Our possible
disagreement appears thus only when
we consider the means by which these
evils can be removed in the highest
possible degree without introducing
other evils equally calamitous. After
studying this problem for more than
twenty years and after repeating fire.
quently in the psychological laboratory
all the significant experiments, and
after curing scores Of drunkards by
psychotherapeutic means and thus be-
ing near to the question all the time,
am fully convinced that under the
present conditions of American life
the only wise way of reform is by work
ing toward temperance and not to-
ward prohibition. 1t must be a cam
paign of education towards a moder-
ate use of light alcoholic beverages.
Prohibition and Fragmatism.
Since 1 uttered this opinion publicly
a few months ago in a popular maya
zine, a whole literature of so-called
replies has gone up. There was no
lack of vehemence and an abundance
of misstatements, and even the excite
ment of the presidential campaign
would not be sufficient to excuse the
my friends, the Prohibitionists, indulg-
ed in; but l looked in vain for a
single argument which could change
in the least my opinion. OF course,
do not deny that the other side has
a much simpler remedy. To exclude
all alcohol from this country by Prohi- |
bitiOn laws seems to get rid of the |
evil with one strike; it needs indeed |
much less effort than a true education |
towards temperance. But the Prohi- |
bition movement is just like the free
silver movement in economics, or |
like socialism in politics, or like
spiritualism in religion, or like Christ
an Science in medicine, or like Prag-
matism in philosophy. They all con-
tain a little core of truth, but their !
ruth is old and they become new fash |
toned movements only by new sensa- |
tional Foundations which appeal to |
the unthinking crowd. But just this |
always secures at first an immediate |
cheap victory; superficialfty of think
ing prevails in the world and can
never resist the enthusiasm of fana-
tics have hardly any doubt that |
this Prohibition movement, too, will |
at first overwhelm, by its very super
ficiality, the sober efforts for educa-
ton and reform IN this country, just |
as the vaudeville and the operetta |
have overwhelmed the serious drama, |
as the cheap magazine has demolished
the book store, as the yellow press |
has captured the masses, and as in |
hundred other forms the appeal to !
superficial judgment has been success !
full Then of course the reaction comes .
in time, and the cry for prohibition
will just as swiftly disappear as the ,
cry for free silver.
Our Habituai Disrespect for Law.
Let us not forget that we want to
make laws for nation whose habitual |
disrespect for the written statutes has i
proved in the last years to be the |
chief source of its troubles, and let us
further not forget that we want to |
lee;slate against physiological desire
which belongs to a majority of men.
The absence of this desire in women
or in a large number of men whose
nervous system is differently organic
ed can easily mislead. I personally, |
for instance, brought up in temper !
ance household, have had my life long
a physiological dislike not only for
strong drinks but also for beer. But
in planning for the millions 1 should
feel reckless and irresponsible If l
simply generalized my own chance
constitution. I have no word against
the so-called restriction of personal
liberty; do not know right to per-
sonal liberty if it interferes with the
common good but the more 1 must
demand that this common good is de-
termined by the careful observation of
the real facts.
Prohibition Brings Many Evils.
That kind of abstinence legislation
which prevails in certain parts of the
country and is evidently near in others
is surely not for the common good
That it destroys industries and makes
hundreds of thousands breadless, and
that it deprives millions of a harmless,
joyful feeling is still the smallest harm
which it produces. But far more i'm
portant is the 6fisrespect for law
which it creates. Prohibition puts
premium on the systematic violation
lof law and produces form of corrup-
ton which is still worse than the cor
ruption which irradiates from the lie
IenSed saloon. Furtner, IL reenIorceS
drinking in it's most miserable and
dangerous form. The moderate drink
er is cut off, while the immoderate
drinker is created. 1t abolishes light
wine and beer; and opens wide the
way for the worst kind of whiskey.
lit eliminates every sound supervision
land makes minors and inebriates the
Ifavorite customers. A clean surface
appearance is bought at the expense
of inner moral and mental destruction.
Worst of all, the masses who feel the
az anaoafhafiO