New-York tribune., 1920-10-17


ever it is that a Scotchman carries his
liquor other than internally.
Election Is Involved
Private stocks will be legal. The
story of the Scot who said that the
view, in Perth was the most magnificent
ii the world, because on clear day
you could see twenty-nne distilleries,
and all of them working, will not have
to be revised or abridged.
The election itself is as involved as
the American first-choice and second
choice ballots, or as the working Of
the pari-mutuel machines. For "no
license" to be adopted, it must obtain
SIS per cent of all the votes cast and
that number must be at least 35 per
cent of the total electorate. The "lim-
iting resolution" needs only. a bare
majority Of the votes cast, but still
must obtain the 35 per cent of the
total registration. But where the no.
license proposition is not carried. the
votes for it are to be added to those
in favor Of q reduction.
One naturally would think that this
probably would mean the triumph of
the 20 per cent reduction in the ma
jority of the voting areas. Reports
from Scotland indicate, however, that
it is tending to concentrate attention
on the "no-lcense" and mo change
extremes and that the real battle is to
be fought between these two. SINCE
votes for mo license" automatically
luton there is no reason why the ad-
vocates of reform should, as it we're
scatter their fire.
Glasgow is Battle Ground
The battle really centers in Glasgow
Here it is that both sides are concen-
trating their arguments and their ap-
peals. There are thirty-scven wards
in the city, and each of them votes
separately. 1t is said that the wet
forces concede eight or nine of these
wards.
There is something strangely remi-
niscent of times gone by in the United
States about this Glasgow campaign.
The same old arguments are being used
on both sides; the same old charges and
counter charges fly about. A day or
two ago your pondent sat in
"Pussyfoot' Johnson's Office and heard
him converse with a venerable, white
bearded Scotchman who was retailing,
in a slightly cracked voice, the pros
poets Of dry victory. The old
man might have been product of the
eighteenth century, so true was he
to the type of dogmatical, rigid, stiff
necked Puritansm. He was obviously
as honest as the granite cliffs of his
own land; and as obviously as inelastic.
1t required no great stretch of the
Imagination to picture him holding
forth on eternal damnation, or original
sin. I'D he was informing Mr.. John
son of the state of affairs in Scot
land. According to him, the cause of
righteousness was mighty, and would
prevail
Suggestive of America
Now for the other side.
"On Glasgow in particular" runs a
newspaper article, "all the power Of
this intensive, insinuating, inveigling
campaign has been directed, for Glas-
gov is marked down as the frontier
town that the 'Pussyfoot' higher com
mand has said must be taken by as
sault. But with the bars closed
in eight OF nine wards, and the taps
running freely elsewhere, the imme-
diate result will be a daily migration
from dry to wet areas, with crowded
public houses, discomfort, annoyance
and confusion" Moreover, "rejocing
in measure of freedom after the
harassing restrictions of the war,
Scotsmen are not eager to thrust their
necks into the moose again.
Revise this Just a little bit, and
isn't it strongly suggestive of any
American community where the ques-
tion of prohibition was being agitated
five years ago?
A Glasgow spondent OF The
Daily Mail gives four reasons why he
thinks the drys Will triumph The
first is that nine Of the twelve re-
hgious bodies which are most powerful
IN Scotland are avowcdly in favor Of
prohibition.
The second is that the newly enfran-
chised women are expected to vote mo
license" and that a Considerable sec
tion of the populace already favors it..
some of the publicans has bitterly Of
Tended many elements of the popula-
tion.
The fourth seems bit bizarre 1t is
that Revolutionary clements" having
been told that prohibition caused the
Russian revolution. viii vote dry in
the hope that q similar result may be
obtained in Scotland
The Anti-Prohi bition Council OF
Glasgow already has declared that it
would "welcome cooperation with the
real temperance rcformcrs in framing
wise laws which. while preserving the
liberty of the people, would promote
temperance" This body suggests the
Improvement of the public houses,
more drastic regulations for them. and
severe punishment for habisual drunk
enness. 1t also denies that the
churches are in favor of mo license y
1t calls prohibition a "political in
sanity" "violent invasion of indi-
vidual liberty" 1t quotes American
statistics to show that prohibition doe.
not decrease crime. 1t recalls the eco
nomic loss which would be caused by
the closing Of the public houses.
All of this Americans will recognize
as necessary part of any prohibition
campaign. But:
what is the Yankees game? They
say that prohibition will promote cf-
hcicncy; we seem to remember that
the abolition Of vodka in Russia had
very different results. Are the Amcr-
cans only trying to ruin our industries
and breed unrest?"
About the only thing they haven t
thought of is to change the old song
to THE Camels Are Coming"
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Drawings
by 26 Artists