The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-11-12
MICHIGAN DRY, LOSES
CRIMINAL POPULATION
Assaults. Begging and Burgiaries
show u Decided Falling on.
DRINKS So PER CENT LESS
Serious Accidents Also Show De-
ciine--Negatlvc blessings Give
Basis for Estimating Positive iscne-
fits Accruing from Prohibition.

England. visiting in Detroit and anx-
ious to know the working Of the pro
hibition law in the state of Michigan,
especially in its bearing upon condl-
tiors in such a large city. met In
conference By Mr.. Henry NJ. Leland,
an employer of 5000 workers and
president of the Lincoln Motor COM
pany manufacturing Liberty motors;
Mr. Joseph Bergen, president OF the
Burroughs Adding Machine company.
employing 5000 workers; c. w. Dick
erson, of the Thinker. Detroit, Axle
company. employing 5000 workers;
MIR. C. G. Scarborough, MANUFACTURER
Of the Packard Motor Car company,
employing $4,000 workers; Mr.. $. s.
Marquis. welfare manager OF the Ford
Motor company, employing about
1000 workers; Mr. S. s. Kresge.
owner and operator of hundreds OF
mercantile esta blishments in cities all
over the country; Mr.. John Trix, pres
ident of the American Injector COM
pany and heavily interested in other
companies employing an aggregate OF
1000 workers; Mr.. Henry w. Hoyt,
vice president of the Great Lakes En-
cheering Works, one OF the largest
shipbuiiding concerns in America, en-
ploying thousands of men: Mr.. George
NJ. Carson. industrial manager OF the
Cadillac Motor company, employing
5 900 workers and Mr. Chester VI.
Culver. secretary of the Employers
association. which acts az labor
clearing house for all large Detroit
concerns, and who handles the impor-
tation of an average Of TO. 600 workers
yearly into the city. All of these men
without exception testified in a most
telling and practical way - the actual
and almost measureless benefits which
had come within their knowledge as
tho result of the prohibition Of the
liquor traffic In the state.
The Drop in Crimes
There WAS present also a { the con-
ference the secretary of the police de-
partment of the city. who made an
astonishing report covering tha police
items for May, June. jug, August and
September. 1918. Us compared with
May, June. July. August ard sSep-
ten her 1917, when the saloons were
open This report, covering cAndi-
tons in a city OF one million popula-
tion, showed "a com parativs decrease
covering the period since the saloons
were closed. of IS per cent ia assault.
Furslaries decreased So per cent In
stances OF carrying concealed weapons
decreased 50 per cent. Embezzle-
ments dropped % per cent and lar
cenies ~ per cent, Murders went
down from 50 To 10. decrease of
per cent and rotberfas from 22h to 40,
"a decrease Of 81 per cent. Larceny
from person decreased 50 per CEN.
Cases Of obtaining money under false
pretenses decrease 81 per cent. he
ceiving stolen property cases fell OF
80 per cent and forgeries decreased At
per cent. Miscellaneous additional
Gelonies decreased 80 per cent.
Shrinkasc OF Druuks and Misdc-
flleanagts.
For the same period Of comparison
the rate of decrease for nlisdeneanors
was as follows: Assaults and batteries
decreased e per cent; begging 20
per cent. Instances Of common prosu-
tuition, 81 per cent. disorderiy conduct
as per cent: disturbing the peace, 62
Tsssr' cent, white tf7a .g-etssaT OF crurSs
dropped from f,5i$ 10 i,o2E, de-
crease OF SO per cent. Most Of he
.7.11i cases OF drunkenness in the pc
Rod covered OF The year 1917 We're
what WAS listed as Golden Rule
drunks. men who were taken in and
put 10 bed while SOLDERING up and
never prosecuted rs disorderiy per
sons; sIS9 OF the 7.ai / Cases Of
drunkenness for the months covered
of 1917 were drunks OF this type, aud
the note is made IN the report that
under the prohibition law every one
intoxicated in public. even TO a slight
degree, is arrested and held as a wit
ness for the purpose OF securing evil
dence as to where the liquor was got,
while when the city v as wet only the
helpless so-caiied Golden Rule"
drunks and the actually disorderly
were arrested
Continuing the study OF the report
on the decrease OF naisdemeanors. We
find tina, instances of gambling de-
creased ss per cent: non-support, IS
per cent: vagrancies. 81 per cent;
petty larcenies. 81 per. cent. disorderly
persons, IS per cent. disorderly acts,
81 per cent, and malicious injury to
property, 20 per cent
Serious Accidents Show Significant
Failing on.
For the same periods OF comparison
iniai7 and 1918, the secretary OF the
police department also compiled a
statement with respect to accidents
with the following results:
! During the dry months of 1919 as
compared with the same wet months
! OF 1917. minor automobile Accidents
decreased Is per cent, serious auto
mobile accidents decreased As per
/ cent, and fatal automobile accidents
decreased 10 per cent
Minor street car accidents decreased
i1S per cent: serious street car acct
dents decreased So per cent. and fatal
street accidents decreased 35 per cent
| Minor motorcycle accidents de-
creased IA per cent serious motor
cycle accident decreased ~ per cent.
and fatal motorcycle accidents de-
creased 100 per cent.
4, Minor railroad accidents decreased
10 per cent: serious railroad accidents
decreased So per cent; fatal railroad
accidents decreased so per cent.
| /. These things. OF course. present only
the negative side OF the matter. They
show only the decrease in undesirable
things. What the increase of desira-
!, BILE things has been. however. one can
picture on the basis of these very tell
| ing facts.