New-York tribune., 1918-04-22
In 1917

kibitioaists. But no one hitherto has
ever had the temerity to suggest
that dry dinner could be dull one
when ex-senator Chauncey M. De-
pew was one of the guests. 1t has
remained for Senator Depew himself
to suggest this. 81 have attended
large dinners in bone-dry states" he
says, land they have been rather
dismal affairs because Of the lack of
champagne" If this can be true,
many will conclude, prohibition must
DC a very mischievous thing indeed.
Il think that prohibition is coming,
and coming pretty soon," said Senator
Depew, but l think it is one of those
radical things that sooner or later will
be regretted. Radicalism seldom is de-
sirable. The French Revolution was an
outbreak of radicalism. Russia to-day
is a shining example of radicaism.
The autocrat on the one end and the
unbalanced radical on the other hand
are much aIike-each is tyrannical. The
autocrat thinks he is divinely ap-
pointed, and commits excesses, and the
radical wants to kill every ore that
does not agree with him. They are
much alike. have always been a be-
liever in temperance, But never was a
prohibitionist. l delivered a temper
ance lecture more than forty years
ago that went all over the country. I
told an audience that all my successful
friends had abstained from alcoholic
excesses. while all of my old friends
up IN Peekskill, who had early become
hard drinkers, were all dead before
they reached fifty years of age.
Suggests a Compromise
Il think if the temperance people
would compromise by allowing the sale
and use of light wines and beer il
would be much better than try to pro-
nlbit all alcoholic beverages. France
is giving the world magnificent ex-
hibition of sustained courage and de-
voticn to high and heroic ideals. The
French almost universally drink light
wines. Germany does not lack phys-
the events of the last three weeks have
demonstrated. The Germans are mod.
crate drinkers.
II believe that we shall have serious
trouble after prohibition becomes uni
versal, if it becomes universal. Under
our theory Of government the regula-
tions of the liquor traffic has been held
to be police or state matter Now it
is proposed to make it Federal mat
ter. This is a clear invasion of state
rights. as understood by our friends in
I, n %o4o v,-1,o ~
tion wave started. These Southern
friends of ours ever since the war have
made the 18th and 18th amendments to
the Federal Constitution dead letter,
and the Federal government has al
lowed this tendency to develop be-
cause a strict enforcement of the law
would have meant the presence in the
so-called black belts Of the Southern
states either of United States troops
or marshals, with weapons OF force.
Reaction Is Feared
"Now comes the Invocation of Fed
eral power through national prohjbi-
tion. 1t is likely to react most dis
where the law a enforced there will be
men and women who will say. very
we'll. let US enforce every article and
section of the Constitution The black
voters, who are yearly growing more
intelligent and powerful, will say the
same thing. Moreover, they will have
their way. This new prohibition will
lead directly to it, If we have real
prohibition it will mean that man
cannot drink wine at his own table in
side of his own house. His servants
would be turned into spies and black
mailers. When ! think of the whole
some dinners have been able to enjoy
with my friends | am sure that it is
mistake to take champagne away
from well-ordercd dinner. / have at
tended large dinners in bone-dry states
and they have been rather dismal al
fairs because Of the lack Of champagne.
abolition Of whskey, brandy and gin
and the dispensing Of such liquors in
the saloons | think they do harm.
II seem. to me that it should be pos
sible to strike a happy medium by leav-
ing people free to buy and drink light
wine and beer.
II have ligtencd many times to men
Who urge the abolition OF all alcoholic
beverages for economic reasons. They
even carry it TO the use OF tobacco.
They assert, for instance, that we
throw away y2o0,0oo,o0o a year in
cigars. am not smoker. quit
sraoking years ago when | found that
was suffering to some extent from
nicotine poisoning. Just >auIt It.
Now | am not at all sure that II smok-
ing were entirely abolished the $500.
to ' any useful purpose. Some Of it
might, but how is any. one to know
that IL wouIde think it would be
wclIngh impossible to enforce a
drastic prohibition law IN cosmopo,i-
tan city like New York. You migns
stop the manufacture and sale OF nj
eeholic beverages, hut ! don't see now
;Saanpsd Il a man haA something nc