The Washington herald., 1917-01-30
QUAKER CITY REfORMER
FAVORS REFERENDUM
Dr.. Gibboney Writes Consressmen on
Subject of Prohibition.

d. Clarence Gfbboney. president of the
Law and Order Society. of Philadelphia,
who is playing an important part in the
crusade to Cleanup" the Quaker City,
already resulting in many reforms, has
entered the arena on the side Of fair
play In the Districts prohibition contro-
versy Last week Mr.. Gibboney was in
conference here with members of Con-
gress and also sent letter to each
member on the subject of prohibition for
the District. While not openly advocat-
ing the referendum, Mr.. Gibboney makes
plea for honesty and fair dealing in
handling the question here. In an ar
ticle in the Philadelphia Inquirer. Mr..
Gibboney says in part:
I'VE need honesty and square dealing
In the treatment of this liquor question.
II we ever are to get effective and per-
manent results and I feel certain that
you. as a member Of the highest law
making body in the land, will agree with
me that there is no justice but the most
dangerous kind of injustice, in the meth
DDS being attempted in this instance.
Wants Fair Play for All.
Il am interested, and vitality, in the
abolition of the liquor traffic, but 1 want
to see 1t done properly and effectively
and in the spirit of American honesty
and fair play.
And in that connection II is informa-
tive and interesting, even If not fiatter-
Ing. to note that this is the only coun-
try In the world which, having legalized
and shared in the proceeds of the liquor
business, attempts to abolish 1t in a
way to place all the losses upon those
who engaged in 1t only after II had been
legailzed and was aforementioned.
France destroyed in 1915 its obsinthe
market. but in doing so compensated the
dlstllers and dealers whose property in
vestments were destroyed or deprecated
through the abolition OF the business.
montreal and Quebec also decided in
1915 to reduce the number OF saloons
In these provinces and in doing so set
standard of compensation for those
to be ousted from business by paying
the loss entailed by the licensed deal
ers.
Russia Gave Up It's Profits.
Russia, regarded as the land of auto
cratic oppression, acquired the vodka
business by purchase In 1862, and in a
night. after the outbreak of the present
war, clamped the lid of sobriety upon that
nation without a single dollar property
loss to any individual for the reason that
II being q government-owned business no
individual had any money invested in il
switzerland showed a splendid example
OF nauonal conscience when, desiring to
abolish the absinthe business, the Swiss
confederacy in 1910 passed an act to COM
pensate not only the owners of distilleries
and retail establishments, but also the
farmers and the farmers hired hands who
were engaged in the absinthe industry.
England, in the Consolidation LIQUOR
act Of 1870 provided for reducing the
number OF saloons and in so doing in
cluded scale OF full compensation for
those who thus would be put out of busi-
ness
And even now. in the throes OF the
greatest war in the whole worlds his
tory. and confronted with a national
debt OF billions of dollars. and increasing
daily, the lawmakers OF that country are
considering the total acquisition of the
liquor business of that nation under a
plan that includes purchase and full COM
pensation for those suffering property
losses thereby
In the face OF these facts. can the
United States still continue to advocate
confscation as part of the plan OF pro-
hioition? Can any Just argument be
brought against compensation"