The Washington herald., 1916-01-17
SEEN AND HEARD
BY GEORGE MINER
Special Correspondent of The Warrington Herald.

New York, Jan. 1s.-The prohibition
wave that is sweeping the country and
bringing State after State into the dry
column and promising to bring about ma
tionaI prohibition in time has brought
the distilers and brewers face to tace
with condition they scarcely know now
TO combat.
For the distiIIers the outlook is very
black There seems hardly doubt that
their business is doomed to more or less
ruin, for there is no good argument that
can be advanced in favor OF whisky
drinking. They are apparently helpless
for they seem to be making no effort to
stem the prohibition tide.
Efficiency and Beer.
The brewers. however. purpose to put
VI, a fight and not be wiped out by Lesls-
lation. no matter whether 1t be just or
unjust. righteous or fanatcal. They VIII
poiut as an example to German efnclency,
rrogress and prosperity as being closely
sIried with beer. The futility Of prohibit
lion Is also the keynote Of much Of their
talk. They are going to good deal OF
EFFORT and expense to show that prohlol-
ton does net prohibit. That question Is
as old as the world
The prohibition against apples did not
stop Adam and Eve from eating them
snf so on and on. But Mahommeds
his army all powerful. We all know ntty
shining examples on both sides
Mr.. Hugh H Fox Is the secretary OF
tbs United States Brewers Association
II falls to his lot to promulEate the pro-
beer propaganda And, believe me, ne
has his hands full.
TT is proposed that the government
spend SO, ,COJOCO a year for national pre-
paredness'' said Mr.. Fox in the course
OF a luncheon conversation. National
prohibition would mean a loss to the
government OF S2JO,cO0,00O a year in rev.
enues. So you see II national prohibit
ton and preparedness come hand in hand
the government will have to raise $0oO'-
O0C.OOO a year by extra taxation. When 1
make this statement to a prchibitionist
he calmly waves il aside with the as
sertion that a great moral principle
should not be affected by an economic
question"
Are you making any headway in
arousinS an anti-prohibition sentiment?"
I asked.
TO this extent-that the brewers them
selves are now taking a serious view
OF the situation. In the past they have
regarded the beer question from a pure
" German standpoint. u was a fixed
condition. Nothing could happen to it.
Now they knew better, and they are
willing to make very large concessions.
To Abolish Saloons.
They suggest suppIanting the obnoxious
corner saloon with a perfectly respect
able and high-class beer garden to which
men can take their families with pro-
priety. Such reports, I mean, as exist
in Germany, where beer selling and
drinking are properly conducted.
ITO be sure, this would do away with
a great many saloons and would work
but II would not seriously decrease the
amount Of beer sold, for the having Of
three saloons to a block does not mean
the sale Of any more beer than having
only one.
1T has also figured out that II the
government took over the distnleries It
could pay the private owners fair price
for them by putting tax Of twenty-five
cents a barrel on beer.
"An argument I advance to prove that
prohibition Is futile is the fact that in
the State OF Georgia there were found to
be twice as many Illicit distilleries as
there are licensed ones In the whole
United States. You see. the making OF
whiskey is a very simple process. Any
one who knows enough to make loaf
Of bread can distiu whisky The out
fit for a still is inexpensive. It does not
cost more than two or three dollars
So that practically any one who wants
to can make whisky in his own home.
Prohibition Is sure to bring into existance
innumersble private stills.
Now beer making Is quite different
thing It's a complicated process and
requires an elaborate plant. Il would be
impracticable to make beer privately or
secretly"
Mr. Fox related TO me an incident con-
corning his efforts to get the Associated
Press to send out some news relating
to the strusle between the "wets' and
the "drys' that throws an Illuminating
light on the Associated Press methods.