The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1917-08-04
THE THAWA GAZE TIE
TpN 'r a8ays 40sn Nh,
RODERlcKO .. hArHESON. EDITOR
The Truth OF IL

4 ItE Il AIIb VI IL .| s#
TT seems incredible, says an official statement Of
j the International Reform Bureau, that so many
senators, editors and others in discussing war pro
hibition are throwing millions Of gallons and bill
lions of dollars about recklessly in mere guess
work when the certified facts and figures easily
accessible Estimates OF what it will cost to COM
mandeer and buy the whskey in bond, as ordered
by the senate, range from eighty million dollars
to billion-and the smallest fugre is too large
There was in bond June 80, 1916, according to
internal revenue report 23l ,452,7404 gallons. To
escape the second 81 10 of tax not yet enacted,
sbout one hundred millions Of gallons is already
out OF bonds, says the Baltimore American. and
there is nothing in senate action to prevent the
withdrawal of every gallon before the law takes
effect. It'll AMah -... =.
Twenty millions Of gallons, we hear, were with
drawn on Saturday, July z, following senate adop-
ton on Cummins amendment, afterwards rescind-
ed. But suppose the amount to be bought by the
government should be as much as a year ago.
Whiskey is selling at wholesale at about $l40 per
gallon and $l1o Of that is tax, leaving thirty cents
a gallon as full price. Cost would be at least
FIVE cents less, but reckon it at thirty cents"-a
significant figure for the diminishing glories of
whskey. p, .... ....
t. That would be only 100000 cost to the gov
ernment for alcohol all of it needed instantly
partly to make munitions, partly to save for seven
critical months the using of foodstuffs to make
munition alcohol The mountain of alarm as to
cost of communicating brings forth a mouse.
Beside above statistics should be quoted the esti
mate Of Dstilleres Securities Corporation in letter
dated May q 1917, naming ''ll30OOOo0 gallons as
annual consumption for beverage purposes" That
gives basis for saying that there is on hand three
years supply of whiskey. The fact is of ominous
significance for Interpretation of Presidents and
house committees original Section IS that gave
President authority to prohibit future manufacture
of liquors but no power to touch this vast supply
Of whiskey on hand, which would have scared in
price to the vast enrichment OF ali dstillers, while
heer and wine being drinks of short supply might
have been eliminated, leaving the nation with only
high priced whiskey in its saloons. .' IA
When we divert six billions from expenditures
for consumption and consequences of drink, mani
testify the taxes for incomes and every other useful
business will increase and the revenue bill will
produce total greater with liquor and its tax
obliterated than If il is retained 1t is chldshness
almost idocy to speak of losing liquor revenue by
prohibition as real loss from any point of view.
1t is great gain to the public and gain even in
taxation. 81 ..r
Still more stupid is the outcry that millions OF
employees in the liquor business will be thrown
out OF employment. The Authorization Manual
Of lS, quoting from y. >. StatStlcal Abstract for
1915, gives as the total number engaged in manu-
facture Of liquors 77179, Charles Sickle, labor
expert, says that less one-fourth OF these 'em-
ployed in occupations peculiar to the liquor bust
ness, such as brewers, dstillers, rectihers" The
others, carpenters, electricians, machinists and
eamsters will be urgently needed to take the place
of some of the half million men presently with
, drawn from industry for our new army.
AS to the alleged petition of two millions OF
men in labor unions, Mr.. Stelzle has exposed the
fraud OF it in that many counted three times
in local. state and national bodies, with-the result
that labor union petitions from few OF the States
seem to show greater total than the whole Fed
Grafton Of Labor. The reports Of the activities OF
brewers in promoting legislation show they have
made special efforts to enlist labor unions. The
cry of labor for separate peace for beer is
prompted more by sellers than the buyers.
The most significant aspect OF labor statistics is
the proof from Germany and Russia and the Uni
ted States that prohibition increases industrial eff
cheney from ten to thirty per cent. We must UNI
load the drink that we may fight this crucial war
through with our full strength.
..s -$$S
Z The total assessed valuation of property on Oahu
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