The Washington herald., 1915-04-07

American States has the advocate of such law
dared to go far as to forbid man from indulg-
ing in the of liquor. The spirit of liberty
which is characteristic of the Anglo-Saxon race
would be likely to emphatically resent law
which made it penal offense for any to drink
! liquor
Therefore, in order to reach the end desired
which is the absolute control of mems appetites
the device of prohibiting the manufacture and
sale Of sprituous and malt liquors has been
seized upon.
| Sometimes the argument is made that if there
lis justification for law which prohibits the manu-
facture and sale of drugs which arc known to be
harmful, then there is equal justification for pro-
hibiting the manufacture and sale of something
else which is alleged to be also harmful.
But the distinction is evident. The vast ma
jority of the people know that the of drugs,
morphine the like, is harmful, even in
small quantities Ultimately the drug destroys
the individual who has that habit. In recognition,
therefore, of universal sentiment, and with a view
to the protection of society, laws prohibiting the
manufacture and sale of harmful drugs arc recog-
nized expedient
But there is wide difference Of opinion re-
specting the physiological effect OF the moder-
atcly of spirituous or malt liquors. There can be
question that a majority OF expert opinion
supports the view that moderate use of liquors,
even ii that be habtual, is not harmful. If it
were, as is the OF drugs, then there would be
every side physical wrecks and the life Of the
community itself would be in danger.
Prohibition cannot be justified the ground
that the use of Intoxicating liquors of malt
beverages is always harmful 1t would be justified
If the mmoderatc, because, sooner
later, it would bring the person who thus drank to
~ ol, ,,,I ~
Nor is there any argument which justiics in
time OF peace the enactment of prohibitory law
by reference to the fact that England France, and
Russia in times of found or arc likely to find,
prohibition expedcnt. In the of these coun-
tries prohibition is, will be, enforced
sty of In that respect it would resemble the
enforcement OF martial law the suspension of
the writ OF habcas corpus
There is one point OF view suggested by the
recent agitation for the constitutional amendment
whereby the Federal government would be author
lied by Congress to enforce nationwide prohibi-
ton, which appears TO confute those who insist
that legislation of that kind is either necessary or
cxpedicnt. If the necessary majority of the States
of the Union were to ratify an amendment of that
kind it would be reasonably satisfactory evidence
that majority of people OF the United States arc
opposed to the of liquor. Presumably, this
majority does not use liquor, and if the entire
United States were to be brought under the dom-
nation of law which forbade its manufacture and
sale then it might be assumed that the majority
OF the people of the United States favor and prac
tice total abstinence But if the majority were
of this disposition then there would be small need
Of prohibitory law.
The great factor in securing total abstinence
is found not in the statutory but in the moral law
he md relic law If mss Imam
iorbids the of wine other liquor and the
Mussclman obcys this law, written in his Bible,
and has obcyed it since it was formulated.
The moral law and the teachings of cnlight- |
,ncd self-ntercst arc gradually but surely making
he American people, whole, total abstaincrs.
Gradually but surely this moral influence has led
% total abstinence in various walks of life In the
Early days OF the nation and in colonial times the
clergy OF the United States habitual and
sometimes excessive OF intoxicants. At last,
through the efforts OF Lyman Bcccher and others,
hey realized the danger of such indulgence so
hat the clergy of the United States became, with
CIV exceptions, total abstaincrs. In the business |
world the moral law and enlightened self-nterest |
lavc wrought wonderful change within the past
CIV years, that more and more business |
ncn abstain at all times, and invariably abstain
Turing business hours. What might be called, |
or want or Dcttcr tcrnl, inc great nlQQle class
IF the United States-that is to say, the great
body OF plain people-are practically abb
taincrs, and it is highly significant feature Of
he prescnt-day agitation for prohibition that the
most earnest advocates of it arc citizens of sec
ions of the country where formerly the use of
ntoxcants was regarded an essential part of
aily life
Now the question is whether nationwide pro-
biton is to supplement the wonderful in
reasc in the number of those who, for moral
easons or those who for reasons of wise self
interest, abstain from the use of intoxicants. OF
curse, a prohibitory law lis not necessary for
hose who believe in prohibition. Would it serve
$ moral suason has done already, and is continu-
lily doing, to completely control mems appettes?
f it cannot, then it is not only useless but HARM
al. There arc of course, other important con-
derations especially the economic; but there is
o doubt that gradually and surely the intelligence
the American people is leading them voluntarily
do precisely what the advocates of prohibition
xpect to accomplish by means of statutory law.