The sun., 1919-10-14
INTEREST CENTRES
UPON PROHIBITION
Referendum Becomes the Prin-
cipal Issue in Ontario's Po-
'litical Fight.
speo;ol Correspordsros to tho Canadian Section
of THE SUN

speoioI Correspondence to tho Cunadi1B Section
Of THE sun.
TORONTO, Oct 13-Just as in the case
of the political contest. the temperance
battle now ,being waged in Ontario, and
which will terminate with the referen-
dunn on Monday next. is an instructive
incident in after war social conditions.
The campaign has warmed up daily un-
til prohibition has become the central
issue even In the political hght.
Candidates everywhere are pressed to
state their personal views on tse refer
endum and they are not likely to get
off by saying that they will accept the
verdict of the people. The wet" forces
have little open support, though there
are many claims by the more outspoRen
opponents OF that side that there will
be a surprise in the Silent VOTE which
Is always the hope of one side or the
other in a political campaign.
The week brought some humor even
into this embittered contest. Hartley
Dewart, the Ontario Liberal leader. who
has scarcely made platform appear
ance without a broadside of charges
against somebody, injected fresh tonic
by describing the wholesale distribu-
ton of cherry brandy among the Jewish
voters OF his own riding in southwest
Toronto under the guise of necessity of,
the liquor for religious purposes. in the
observance of the Kiddush. Mr.. Dewart
had detectives and photographers at the
distribution of the "vishnick," and his
indignation reused the audience to tu-
multuous applause, as he unfolded the
story, Naturally, ne tried to tie up the
incident to the Hearst government, but
the license commissioners have taken
steps to clear the Premier, 30 as to take
1t out of politics.
About the same time there was a
disturbance at Ottawa arising out of
the Ontario campaign. The Borden
Government had introduced bill Civ
! ing power to provinces to secure such
Federal assistance as they needed to
prevent transportation of liquor which
| would interfere with the particular
state Of bone-dryness which they fav-
| ored. Suddenly, an insurrection took
| place among Conservative Unionist
members from Ontario. 81 of whom
| vere said to be opposed to the legisla
tion Some of this opposition may have
arisen from the wet" sympathies of
| the members themselves. while others
| thought the new law would embarrass
the Hearst government by sealing up
, all sources for liquor In Ontario. should
the referendum be adopted Another
caucus was hastily called and 1t was
| followed by an announcement that the
| Government legislation had been APP
proved and would be proceeded with.
| The Ontario referendum will be
searching in its character and will
have four questions. Voters will have
a chance to say yes or mo on
the questions of the repeal OF the
Ontario Temperance Act: the sale OF
light beer, containing not more than
s.61 per cent: alcohol. weight measure
through Government agencles the sale
OF 2,b1 beer In standard hotels in munici-
palities voting in favor of it and the sale
OF spirituous and malt liquors through
| Government agencies.
All classes are at one. so far as can
be shown, in opposing the return OF the
bar as formerly known. II would appear
at present az II the Ontario temperance
act would be strongly sustained, but
there is a possibility of sufficient vote
favoring some form OF sale of liquor un.
der Government auspices TO make modi-
ications of the existing conditions desir-
able. Even this, however. may be rem
6ered impossible through the vote OF the
women, as Ontario now has woman's
franchise.