The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1915-04-03
NATIONAL PROHIBITION
By WILLIAM ALLEN WHITE
Editor and Author of
"A Certain Rich Man"

orous and intelligently active in some
form in the Legislature of nearly
every American State. There can be
no question but that the assault on
the liquor traffic in America is per-
sistent and effective, whether it takes
the shape of local option or State pro-
hibition. The fact that the vote to
restrict the liquor traffic and to pro-
hibit it is found almost universally in
one form or another has persuaded
the national leaders of the campaign
that national prohibition is a national
issue. The fact that a considerable
percentage of the geographical area
of the country is dry has cheered the
prohibtionists. They are also en-
couraged by the fact that a consider
able majority of the population, num-
erically, seem to be living in dry ter.
ritory.
But this situation is not exactly as
it seems. While it may be true that
there are more dry square miles than
there are wet square miles and while
it may be true that the actual count
of noses indicates that more people
live in dry territory than are living
in wet territory, yet it must not be
forgotten that this dry area and that
these dry people are found in rural
communities largely. No great Amer
lean city with a cosmopolitan popula-
ton reasonably fresh from Europe
and new to our American institutions
has tried prohibition successfully. Cit
les of 10000 or $4,000 are trying it
now for the first time, and even these
cities are largely filled with people Of
the American stock. These small cit
les are largely overgroWn country
towns, and while it might be possible
to obtain a constitutional majority of
the States of the Union to bring about
national prohibition, yet in the other
third of the nation would be found
the great seaboard communities with
their city jewellers who have not been
reared under conditions which have
made prohibition reasonably success
full in the rural communities. 1t
would be a serious and perhaps Gala
mitous experiment suddenly to prohi-
bit the sale and manufacture of liq-
uor in a great city like New York or
Philadelphia, or Boston, where there
would be practically dominant ma
iority angrily opposing the idea.
Another serious consideration must
be met by the advocates of national
prohibition. The annual revenue rails
ed today from liquor may be placed
fairly at somewhere near 100000
900. To cut off that revenue immed-
lately would make serious deficit in
the Federal income. To attempt to
cover that deficit at one stroke of the
legislative pen would create economic
riot. If an attempt was made to raise
the deficit by increasing the income
tax, at once the middle and upper
class people would join forces against
the prohibition law, and the strong
sentiment needed to enforce it. which
heretofore has come from just these
classes, would be lost. We must not
forget in this connection that while
men are poor because they drink, it is
also true that men drink because they
are poor. One reason why it is pos
sible to enforce the prohibition law in
rural communities is found to some
degree in the fact that economical
conditions in rural communities are
far more equitable and just than those
found in the great cities. Before pro-
hibition may be easily enforced in the
great cities the economic conditions of
those cities will have to approach
somewhat the economic conditions of
the rural communities And the dis
tribution of wealth will have to be so
just that the economic reason for
drunkenness to a considerable extent
will be taken away from the classes
which fill the saloons.
There are, however, activities ma
tional in their character to which the
prohibitionists may we'll turn their
hands. The withdrawal of Federal
licenses to sell liquor in dry ttrri-
tory should be accomplished. An in
terstate law absolutely prohibiting the
shipment of liquor into dry territory,
should be enacted, and in every State
the prohibitionists should see to it
that the United States Senators and
Congressman are so dominated by the
prohibition sentiment that the recon-
mendations for United States District
Attorney and United States District
Judges made by Senators and Con-
gressmen should be in full militant
sympathy with the prohibition idea.
Given these three things and the en-
forcement of the prohibition law in
the various counties, cities and States
will be much more easy than it is to-
4, I'd 8 L., l.