The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-02-17
THE FIRST GUNS

With the formal opening Of the cam
paign for statewide prohibition, today the
first ammunition will be discharged which
will eventually make of Pensacola and Es-
Gambia county dry territory.
Whatever the personal bias may be,
however opposed to the principles involved,
the former defender of the liquor traffic has
been forced to the realization that the knell
has rung for the sale of liquor in Florida,
and that the old arguments with which he
was wont to bolster his position have been
Knocked into a cooked hat by the on-march
of events and the fusilade of public opinion.
Where once he was wont to back his
opinions with carefully prepared statistics
anent the business situation and the neces-
sity of maintaining the liquor business be-
cause Of its value as community asset, he
is forced to face the fact that if the sale of
liquor is continued in this section and the
law relating to its regulation evaded as 1t
has been in the past, Pensacola will lose
more than it could possibly gain through
any amount of business which might be
transacted or any amount of money dis
tributed here.
But the fact of the matter is that this
fimsy argument never had a sound basis.
What revenue was gained through licenses
was lost through debauchery.
Leaving out the moral side of the ques-
ton entirely,-no man could be so blind to
the handwriting on the wall as not to real
ize that the day of the legalized liquor traf-
fc is doomed. The implacabe power of
public opinion, in juxtapOsition with the
necessity which the world faces for getting
the best that is in man out of him for the
use of civilization posts notice that the
hour has struck when the American gov
eminent will cease to place its seal of APP
proval on the sale of intoXicants which are
directly assisting in the debauchery of the
men on whose protection this same gov
eminent and the country it represents,
must rely.
Long ago Secretary Daniels ruled
against drunkenness in the United States
navy. Now, coming squarely on top of
his warning to officers and men that drunk
enness will be severely dealt with, General
Pershing makes publication of insistence
that generals. colonies and regimental of
fcers be held directly responsible for the
efficiency of their commands.
How can this efficiency be maintained
without the cooperation of the civilian?
There is but one way to insure the elimina-
ton of drunkenness in the country al large
or IN the community and that Is by max
ing the purchase of liquor impossible
With the men of the service spending
half million dollars a month in Pensacola,
with great shipbuilding plant in need of
efficient labor, is it reasonable to suppose
that the officials of the army and navy, of
the ship-building plant. or the interests
which so closely touch both the service and
the enterprise, will countenance the CON
tinuance of the liquor traffic in Escambia
county,-a traffic which endangers not
only the moral life of the men but the flu
ture of this entire section?
The business men of Pensacola. are face
to face with a tremendous problem. In
crease in population and demand for work
ers Efficiency IS the crying need OF the
hour. 1t is that which the government de-
nands, both for the man who wears the
uniform and he who does his part in the
civilian ranks. This demand mus, be met,