The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-01-08
WASHINGTON DRY,
SOBER, PROSPEROUS
AND HAPPY CAPITAL
By w. u. WHEELER.

The nations capital at the end Of
the first two months under prohibit
ton la prosperous. sober and happy.
Crime, poverty and disorder have de-
creased. There are more happy
homes. prosperous and sober efficient
people than In any period OF tho CAPT
tai city's history The holiday seaaon
has always marked an increase in
drunkenness and disorder This year
II was a time for sober thought, right
living aud sane holiday season. Out
side Of the coal shortage and high
price OF food. which is still caused,
in part, nv the brewers wasting II in
the nation, II was rs ideal a holiday
as could be under war conditions.
More Happy Homes.
One Of tEss officers of thu Associated
Charities reported that In one district
during the saloon regime they had
twelve non-support cases a week.
Under the dry regime hut one. In
spite Of the unusual conditions. those
who visited the poor testify that the
children are better clothed and better
fed than formerly.
Stores Busy.
ON every street the stores are
crowded, At the Central market two
weeks after Tho saloons were abol-
ished one tradesman said: We are
sold out" People seem to have more
money and buy better goods since the
saloons We're closed.
Down-and- Outs Decreasing.
Talking recently with Salvation
Army man and manager of Indus
trial home, which takes care OF the
down and outs he said they may have
to close this part OF the esta blishmeut
because there liz such scarcity of
down and outs" owing to prohibition.
He says that he has gotten 1t straight
from Occoquan that there are NOT
enough men in the institution at pres
emit to do the work and take care OF
the stores. He said where about 400
men used TO be sent to the prison
every Monday morning by the courts
OF Washington for drunkenness and
petty crimes, rising out OF drunken
ness. only forty-fve are sent there
now, He knows this because IL lie his
/ duty to either go In person to the pris-
on every day or send a representative
TO take. care of the men who show q
disposition 10 lead a better life Blu,
he says so few are going in now that
for several days he has had nobody
to meet coming out. He says 1t is due
to the prohibition laws.
DeSrG1se III DRUNKENNESS ana GrlIne
I'm Dry Months.
Notable decreases In the number OF
arrests for intoxication, disorderly
conduct and other offenses growing
from use OF liquor, were registered
during the last two months OF 1917
according to figures contained in &
comparative report OF arrests during
November and December OF 1915 and
! 1917 issued last night by the police
department. Slightly more than sew.
enty per cent decrease lis reported In
the number of arrests for intoxication
| Othes. offenses prevalent in wet" ter
ritorr are also said TO have decreased
/ in considerable volume.
I The above record has been made
/ In a city OF &2S.00 people. from ever,
state In the Union. The law wa:
enacted by congress. Tho vets proph'
esied that the law would be failure
I 1t has been a tremendous success
What Is good for the nations capita
| In good for the nation. IT furnishes ar
unanswerable argum srt why the ma.
tional prohibition amendment should
be ratified by the states.