The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1919-03-14
Prohibition Gains Clearly Seen
No Losses Apparent
TRADE INCREASES
CRIME DECREASES
Records Show No Increase in Use
of Drugs
BARLESS HOTELS PROSPER

Some idea oil the benefits large wet
cities may expect to enjoy after July
| may be gotten from the experience
OF Detroit under Prohibitions
James Couzcns, the mayor OF De-
troit, recently gave to the United
Press a statement showing the effect
OF saloons closing in his city.
Those who fear that Prohibition
will be very bad for large cities
should study the following facts
about dry Detroit as given in the
mayors statement:
Detroit was the first OF the mil
lou class cities to so dry. The first
of May, 1918, saw loo saloon Ii
censes automatically Cancelled. While
the war days and their abnormal ac-
tivities have tended to obscure the
direct concrete results OF Prohibition.
my duties as police commissions and
mayor have shown me no permanent
damage to the citys prosperity. On
the contrary. | have before r1c tic
data to prove that the city has 5ene-
fitted enormously.
Petty crime il Detroit nas been
reduced by from 90 10 20 per cent
The house OF correction previously
was overlooking and in need OF ex-
pansion. Now the commissioners find
their charges number only one-third
OF the former total.
The visiting nurses Of tho hoard
of health report the Improvement in
home conditions as beyond their
greatest expectations. Child welfare
has received an impetus which mil
lions Of dollars in appropriations
could not have effected
Detroit merchants report a greater
business from the working classes
than ever before. and the banks show
a greatly increased number of de-
positors. There are those who believe
that high wages i'll war plants have
brought this about, but il is my per-
sonal opinion as a banker, manufac-
turcr and city official that Prohib-
ton should have equal credit with
war wages Collections also have been
improved.
Tho manufacturers were told that
Prohibition would bring a labor
shortage, but this has been disproven.
Factory records show conclusively
that the elimination Of liquor has re-
duced tardiness, absence and acci-
dents IN the plants, to say nothing of
production increase.
"Thc commissioner OF health states
that there is no increase in the num-
Der addicted to drugs.
There is bootlcggng of liquor, but
it has not been more prevalent than
expected, and should be reduced to
minimum when Ohio and Toledo
become dry.
mo large hotels have gone out of
business. While they felt a reaction
for a time, they arc gradually re-
cuperating. The majority OF the
downtown cafes and saloons of good
reputation have continued in opera
ton Several of the largest retain
their cabarcts, although they are not
on the lavish scale of former times.
Real estate values have not been per-
mancntly affected
The elimination of vice has been
aided by Prohibition. Detroit abol-
ished her tenderloin before Prohibi-
ton came, but the dry edict guaran-
teed that abolition.
"The theater business has been bet
ter than ever.
"The best indication of the class
which Prohibition has its greatest eff
feet among is given by the statement
of the manager of a taxicab COM
pany. He says that his business was
cut 90 per cent.
Detroit can not trace the harm
Prohibition may have done, but it
can sense the good effects, and the
greatest of these will not arrive until
the present generation of children has
been permitted to develop in homes
unmolested by John Barleycorn."