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

TWO prohibition bills are at this writ
ing under consideration by the joint
liquor committee Of the state legislature.
One IL the Macarthur or bone dry"
bill.
The other is what is left of the Anti
Saloon league zone drunk 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 I, 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 ac-
don by the legislature on either Of the
above measures.
Passage of the "bone-dry" bill, how
ever, could do no harm. and might serve
. useful purpose in placing local regula-
lions in harmony with the federal
statute.
The other bill. however, is q pernicious
and extravagant measure, which on no
account should be enacted into law.
OF course, the "one-drunk-a-month"
csature-the provision providing for i'm
puTtation Of liquor for personal use
hns been rendered innocuous by the &C
tjon Of congress.
Its advocates now assert as an excuse
for 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 . new state department with high
salaried officials. whose duties would con-
sist Of seeing that the snti-hquor laws
we're properly enforced.
Even before the passage of the federal
|iquor ban there was no excuse for this
prohibition commission. There was, and
., no more reason for a special set of
,6scers to enforce the law against illegal
ale Of liquor than for a similar body
% enforce the law against homicide
The regularly constituted police power
II the state Is AZ competent to deal with
} bootlegser as with pickpocket
Therefore. there was considerable oppo-
uition TO this feature of the "one-drunk-
s-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-
hilton 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
Sucn Douy.
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 a
NTH wheel on a buggy
No, We Don't Care For