The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1920-06-04
CANADIAN BREWER IS
PEEvED At U. S. DRY LAW
Recounts How Baggage Was
Searched by Enforcement OFF,
GERS; Says Its Disgrace
PROTEST. MISPLACED
Another Canadian, Ben H. Spence
Says Protest Should Have Been
Against Canadian License
(By Ben H. Spence, Secretary Do
minion Alliance)

Wy Den IL. spence, secretary 10
minion Alliance)
In a. recent issue of the New Yorl
Sun one of our prominent Canadian
brewers has a complaint to make
regarding the rightly of the Unitec
States Prohibition regulations.
This is not remarkable. The gen
tleman in question is equally con
WINGED as to the unrighteousness o
everything we have in the way G
Prohibition on the side of the line
Indeed, his objection is common t.
those who formerly coined prof
from the booze business.
Sir Henry Pellatt who is a dircc
tor of the O'Keefe Brewing Com
pany, thus describes his experiences
When we came to the Ameri-
can border, in walked customs
inspector. He first went through
our valises, then our overcoats
that were hanging on the pegs.
Then each of us in turn had to
get up so that he might lift up
the seats and look underneath
among the pillows, etc.
He then took the sofa seat off
and made a thorough examina-
ton of the cushions. After this
lie went into the Mushroom and
looked around, even taking the
top off the ice tin. truly be-
lieve that the only place he did
not look was down our threats.
Without expressing regret that the
inspector did not search further Sill
Henry goes on to say:
1t is ridiculous that any law
should be tolerated which neces-
states such treatment of the ordi-
nary citizen.
He sums up the result of Uncle
Sans experiment in Prohibition, a:
he sees it, by declaring:
Public morality is being under
mined by vast illicit traffic in
intoxicating liquor, often adul-
tcrated in the most poisonous
way, and the public conscience is
being shocked by the sight of
people being deliberately tempted
to break the law by appeals to
friendship or sympathy OH the
part of hired informers.
Obviously, there is an injustice il
this protest appearing in the United
States papers as against American
conditions for the facts adduced Goa.
clusively show that the difficulty
comes, not of too much Prohibition
in the United States, but because OF
too little in Canada, and particular.
ly in Quebec.
The letter should properly have
appeared in Canadian paper and
been protest to the Canadian people
against the allowance of conditions
which compel friendly neighbor tc
adopt such rigorous measures If
sclf-protection.
1t is to the shape of Canada that
she allows the export of Intoxicating
liquor, and that her laws facilitate
an illicit border trade, in defiance
of the Laws of her neighbor. There
is need for an expression of sympa-
thy that Uncle Sam should be harass
ed by booze-running Mexicans anC
Canadians.
1t is to the honor of the United
States of America that they have moi
only prohibited the manufacture, i'm.
portation, transportation and sale Of
Intoxicating liquor but also their ex.
port and thus has ceased to make
herself a noxious nuisance and men,
ace to other nations.
1t will be for only a short time
however, as the moral sense and bust
ness acumen of Canadians will lead
them to recognize the economic and
social evil of liquor traffic, and that
the only solution lies in its utter an
Inhalation.
Then l fear, Sir Henry Pellatt's
indignation will know no bounds, but
life will be safer, business better,
homes happier and children will have
finer chance to enjoy worth while
things.