Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-07-13
BY EDWARD MARSHALL.

arguments Tor great whisky manufac.
turers' and dealers organization, 1.-The
nation will go drug crazy.
Take alcohol away from the poor
boobs" Chat Is not the term no usedl
his was even less polite) and they'll
have something else. They've got to
have a means Of getting out Of theft
own personalities. They get sick OF
themselves-and no wonderi"
He laughed long and rather scornA
fully.
low much do you drink yourselffa
I asked.
Il don't drink" he answered. placidly.
Il have to have my wits about me-
now that this prohibition crowd seems
likely actually to turn a trick"
You see. he was no boob.
Then you won't take to drugs II
prohibition ever passes?" suggested,
- + \
Again no laughed scornfullN OF
course. he wouldn't. He had sense. Bu)
he thought the average American had
not and would. That was his mental
attitude.
"A good many people are talking in Q
similar manner In these days. so con.
suited Charles B. Towns about the
matter. He knows more about habit.
forming drugs than any other living
man, being celebrated as an expert not
alone IN the United States, but 10
China, where he went to study tho
opium habit. and throughout Europa
He ts known in every state capital Of
this Union as we'll as under the big
dome in Washington. where he has
worked ceaselessly. night and day. for
years. entirely at his own expense. in
efforts to pass anti-habit forming
drugs legislation.
He does not entirely agree with my
fat acquaintance.
He was the author of the New York
state Boylan bill which unfortunately
ernasculated by the lobby Of which I
have spoken and repealed In 1919 has
been the model for much anti-drug
legislation in the other states. and he
Is the one expert whom the nations
medical men consult when they have
patients seriously affected Cor them
selves are affected) by drug addictions.
In fact Towns is the one real au-
thority in all the world on drug
addlctions and, therefore. was the
logical man for me to see, now that
we fairly are confronted by that pro-
hibition which my liquor supported,
but not liquor consuming acQuaint-
ance, says will dope the nation with
Inevitable drug addiction. will the
nation go drug crazy as the result
of prohibition" That was the ques-
ton I asked Towns.
Not II there remains in 1t a grain
Of good American Intelligence" he
answered. But let me warn you
that tremendous efforts will be made
to force 1t to.
They will be made first by the
liquor dealers and manufacturers,
who feel that such a vast disaster
might switch US back to alcohol, and
who will not abandon hope as long as
this generation lives. and. second, Of
course, they will be made by the
manufacture OF habit-forming drugs.
1.-The liuor dealqers would be glad
to have wave Of drug addictions
sweep the country because 1t might
brighten their sworn enemies into
re-acceptance Of what they call the
lesser evil and the drug manufac-
turers and dealers would be glad Of
such an event because they make
immense, incredible and constantly
increasing profits out of fixing on hui
manity tho most awful slavery which
ever has held men and women in In
tolerable bondage.
But no such disaster need occur
IL the nation keeps its head, studies
the situation and acts intelligently.
Indeed, If this occurs Gas Of course
it Will occur-I have immense faith
in tho good sense Of the American
people) vast good instead of any
harm inevitably and increasingly will
result from the prohibition legisla-
ton. It will take us one step farther
in advance Of all the other nations
of the world. We now lead in this
as in many other progressions and
shall not retrace our steps Such Is
not our national habit"
What legislation would be neces-
sary utterly to safeguard America
against a national drug peril?"
asked.