Arizona republican., 1919-05-22
Every Six Months Help

Every Six Months HelP
 The reasons why prohibition should become effective on July l. the date fixed by the agricul- turaI act, approved November F. just com polling as the reasons why it should become effective on January l next under the terms of the federal amendment We need not discuss the moral ques- tions involved or that the food-saving legis lation of the agricultural act was only pretext; that there is now need of food saving; that the war is over. If prohibition is a good thing after January 1 of 1920, it is a good thing and there can be no excuse for repeating law which antici pates national prohibition by six months.
 We know what prohibition has done for Art- zona and we have testimony from practically all the dry states as to what it has done for them. The economic saving everywhere has been beyond ex- pectation Phoenix has had its greatest growth prohibition. In spite of the emptyipg by pro hibition of than thirty business rooms in the heart of the city, the value of property in the busi ness district has multiplied
 The effect of prohibition is visible in the banks, in the stocks of merchandise, in the schools. the churches, in the dress of citizens in all things which we look for manifestations of economic con- ditons. This improvement began to be noticed inn mediately and well under way in six months. What improvement may be made throughout the nation in six months under time prohibition?
 The country is ready for it now. Nearly all the great breweries have been dismantled or have been and dstillers have accepted the coming situation. Most of them are indifferent as to whether there shall be a suspension of prohibition for six months The greatest concern is felt by some large hotel keepers the owners of saloons and that part of the uOpu vvhic +o
 In the current number of one of the popular magazines there is a review of prohibition by F. M statler of the worlds greatest hotel men, the of hotels in Detroit Cleveland and St Louis and the lessee of the Hotel Pennsylvania, New York; the largest and one of the most magnificent in the world. The liquor business has been a part and very profitable part of the Statler hotel business It is yet in the Hotel Pennsylvania the Statler of St Louis Mr. Statler says that if he could have foreseen that the country was going dry he could have saved s2OOO0O0 in the equipment of the Hotel Pennsylvania. The hotels he says will be deprived of great profits which must be made up from some other source.
 His article deals with prohibition in Detroit after the Hotel stater's experience of one dry year. The inference is that the hotel has not made as much money it would have made if Detroit had re- mained wet, though it is stated that the results to the hotel business have confirmed predictions of disaster It has made the hotel business MT Statler says more pleasant if less profitable and he be- leves that when the country has had time to adjust itself to dry conditions the revenues of the liquor traffice will not be missed by the hotels At present says Mir Statler the only industry in Detroit that has been adversely affected by prohibition is the taxi-business. The business of the theaters tbe movies, the restaurants and all business generally has been improved.
 This is the most reliable testimony as to the effect of prohibition in large city we have seen rt comes from disinterested witness one who was not, and is perhaps not yet, in sympathy with pro- hbition It is picture of the effect of prohibition in very large city of more than a million in habitants. The effect in Detroit is very much t,s same as it has been in small cities-Pboenix for n stance
 With this evidence before us what argument can be offered in favor of suspension for six months or six days of prohibition already established? Who but the liquor seller be benefited by it's sus- pension?
 Congress will not repeal the wartime act The president has make it ineffective hut will he dare to do it? If he does not it is the plain dutv of congress rather to provide the machinery which is now inadequate, for it's enforcement