The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-26
LAe Object Il Jobs and An
Expenditure Of State Money
When Economy Is Needed


Two prohibition bills are at this writ
ms under consideration by the joint
liquor committee of the state legislature.
One Is the Macarthur or bone dry"
bill.
The other Is what is left Of the Anti
Saloon league zone drunk a month"
measure.
One of these bills will be adopted, in
whole or in part as the basis of the state
laws regarding liquor In Michigan, after
May 1, 1918.
In view Of the fact that the dry
amendment voted by the people of Mich
igan last November prohibits the manu-
fscture and sale of liquor within the
state, while the Reed amendment TO the
postal bill. just passed by congress, for
bids, under heavy penalty, the importa-
ton Of liquor into territory where its
manufacture and sale is forbidden. there
appears to be no urgent necessity for &C
ton by the legislature on either of the
shove measures.
Passage Of the "bone-dry" bin, how
ever, could do no harm, and might serve
useful purpose in placing local regula-
tions in harmony with the federal
statute.
The other bill however, Is perniciJus
and extrayagant measure, which on no
account should be enacted into law.
OF course, the "one-drunk-a-month"
feature--the provision providing for inn
portation of liquor for personal use
has been rendered innocuous by the &C
lion Of congress.
It's advocates now assert as an excuse
Tor its consideration that it provides
the machinery for the enforcement of
the law"
BY this is meant the proposed state
prohibition commission" which would
create q new state department with high
oalaried officials, whose duties would con-
sist of seeing that the anti-liquor laws
we're properly enforced.
Even before the passage of the federal
liquor ban there was no excuse for this
prohibition commission. There was, and
u, no more reason for special set of
efficers to enforce the law against Illegal
sale of liquor than for similar body
10 enforce the law against homicide.
The regularly constituted police power
d the state is as competent 10 deal with
> bootlegger as with pickpocket.
Therefore. there was considerable oppo-
pition to this-fsature of the 'one-drunk-
a-month" bill, even before the legisla-
ton at Washington revolutionized the
liquor situation in Michigan.
There were unkind assertions that the
prohibition commission was designed to
provide lucrative positions for that class
Of dry workers who were in the prohi-
bition movement for revenue only. and
who, with the saloon banished from the
state, found themselves out of employ
ment."
Be that as 1t may, there now exists
no possible excuse for the creation of
such body.
The United States government does
not need the aid of local officials or of
the Anti-Saloon league to enforce its
statutes.
The sole object to be served, therefore,
by the passage of the abbreviated Anti
Saloon league measure is the creation Of
some fat jobs.
With the state institutions crying out
Tor needed additions and improvements
and the governor urging economy, Mich
lean can scarcely afford to saddle itself
with set of highly-salaried public Off
Gals who would be about as useful as
NTH wheel on a buggy.