The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1920-12-03
City Chosen as Most Repre-
sentative For Survey
HOMES ARE IMPROVED
CRIME Is DIMINISHED
No More Blue Mondays in Factories;
Accidents Decrease
PUBLIC FAVORS ENFORCEMENT

In a letter to The Survey, Justice
Brandeis Of the United States SUI
preme Court suggested that study
be made of the results OF Prohibition
in America. The editors OF The Sur
vey chose Grand Rapids, Michigan,
as a representative American city IN
which to make a thorough study OF
Prohibition. The results of this
study are given by The Survey in its
November number.
The following is its summary OF
the effect of closing saloons upon
various phases of life in Grand
>. Rapids:
Drink: Two years before most
American industrial centers Grand
Rapids became sober. State Prohi-
bition closed its 100 saloons and its
forty or fifty halls equipped with
private bars. Grand Rapids today is
free from drunkenness if not from
drink.
The Home: Families spend more
time together. The front porch and
the garden have come up as the cor
ner saloon has gone down. Children
are better cared for. Mothers know,
some OF them for the first time, what
it is not to be on the grocer's books.
Fathers take notice Of shabby furnish
ings and help save up to replace
them.
The Factory: Mondays are no
longer blue or black. Absenteeism
because of severe headaches has de-
creased Industrial accidents likewise.
The trouble-making barkeeper is
now not the first to welcome the
newcomer to the city. or the home
conner OH his way from the pay-win-
dow
Health. Tuberculosis and iafantile
mortality, two good indices of the
public health, are on the decline i'll
Grand Rapids. Though primarily
this is due to effective popular edu-
cation, wiser spending and more food
have played their part. Folks go to
see the doctor, dentist and oculist be-
fore they are forced to do so by
pain or disability; they insist on the
best treatment; they pay more at
tention to small ailments. The vital
statistics in the years to come will
show the results of this shifting from
cure to prevention,
Recreation: The demand for au-
tomobiles, for fishing tackle, tents.
and other sporting goods can hardly
be met The boat clubs have long
waiting lists. Facilities for both in
door and outdoor recreation have
been outgrown The roads leading
out of the city are filled with happy
family parties out for picnics. More
vacations are taken and longer vaca
tons Moving picture and vaudeville
theaters have full houses.
Thrift: Pawnshop transactions
have been reduced by one-third, and
debt collection has become easier
than ever before. With an unusually
large number of savings banks,
Grand Rapids has experienced a
marked increase of savings, side by
side with lavish spending
. Crime: Prohibition has all but
emptied the county jail The county
farm has run down for lack of prison
labor. The police force has been
greatly reduced. The withdrawal of
liquor from dance and social halls
has closed a prolific source of inn
morality and crime. The number of
arrests has been almost halved in the
two years during which Prohibition
has been in effect Intoxication,
rowdyism, vagrancy are most con-
spicuous among the crimes diminish
ed in number.
Poverty: Visible signs of want or
degradation are few.
"The City: Citizens who spend
more on themselves and their homes
have become also liberal in their at
titude to public expenditure. They
demand good services and are will
ing to pay for them. Bond issues
for additional municipal equipment
have been approved by large major
tiles.
"Philanthropy: In spite of the
weariness from large drives shared
by Grand Rapids with the whole
country, and the common lethargy
Europe's bitter need, support