Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-06-22
THE PEOPLES FORUM

or wine, or malt extract, or hard
cider, or homemade cordials, or
patent medicines, and practically
every prohibitionist that we find is
demanding prohibition for someone
else, but insisting upon reservations
as far as he is concerned.
To give a case in point, one of the
leading prohibitionists in Kentucky.
recently established at his country
place a wine cellar, which, l am re-
liably informed, contains some $780,
900 worth of good wines and other
liquors. This gentleman can look
very complacently upon the estab
lishment of a desert where he has
such a bountiful oasis.
Then, too, national prohibition
would establish a principle on the
part of our government of destroy
ing vast interests, which had been
lawfully established, without any
compensation and at any time that
a majority of the people, under hys-
terra, should become convinced that
such industries constitute a waste, or
were a menace to the welfare of the
nation, this idea might be extended
to tobacco, to the manufacture of
playing cards, to the theatrical pro-
fession, to the manufacture of soft
drinks, and even to the manufacture
mobiles.
Furthermore, it would seem to
me an exceedingly dangerous expert
ment for a national government to
undertake to forbid the manufacture,
the sale and use of such commodi-
ties as liquors. Wine, beer and whis-
ky are as generally used as tea and
coffee, and almost as generally used
as tobacco.
Do,.o~.I Iil>a,4,, -. 49, -o,4 30
the individual would seem to be a
valuable heritage, and one that no
man could wish to surrender. Surely
the individual has certain liberties
with which the government should
not interfere, and to my way of
thinking, prejudiced and narrow if
you please, the tendency towards the
abolishm ent of the rights of the in
dividual citizen constitutes menace,
and especially in view of the fact
that the attacks that are being made
on personal liberty are directed en-
tirely by an organization known as
| the Church in Action"
You say that, I'VE must eliminate
waste imm ediately," but has it been
settled conclusively that wine, beer
and whisky constitute waste except
where they are used intemperately
England has not given up the
manufacture of alcoholic beverages,
nor has France, nor Germany, nor
Russia.
The Russian government gave up
| the manufacture of vodka, but vodka
and liquors in general are being law
fully made in Russia, and law
fully sold.
France, Germany, italy and Great
Britain supply wines, brandies and
whiskies and runs to their soldiers
just as they supply them with cigar
cites, tobacco. etc.
The French government contends
that alcoholic beverages are essential
to the morale and to the health OF
| the soldiers in the trenches, and
| recently the allotment of wine was
decidedly increased by that govern
ment,
You speak very eloquently In your
editorial when you say, "In the
shamble fields of France young men
by the millions are plunging through
barbed wire and bursting shells for
the cause we have taken as our
own" Does not the thought occur
to you that perhaps the European
governments are wise in giving to
! these men, just before charge. 6
| good drink, where they desire 1t, as
a means of steadying their nerves
and of supporting them in the
| frightful ordeal through which they
are passing, just as a surgeon will
give whisky or brandy to any one
who has met with an accident. or
who has experienced terrific shock
I am impressed by the spirit ex-
hibited in your editorial of will
ingness to urge self-sacrifice on those
who remain at home. and of avoid
ing all forms of waste in our meth
DDS of life, but If alcohol served a
good purpose in the past. and If ii
ever was needed in aiding us to
stand erect under the tremendous
burdens imposed by our complex
civilization, then surely 1t will be
needed in moderation by the men in
the trenches this coming winter
when they are chilled to the marrow,
and when they are expecting every
] minute to be destroyed by shot or