The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-09-07
Frederic Haslzin' 5 Letter
Anti-Prohibitionists Organize.

en- districts Who have affiliated
themselves with the movement
AGAINST prohibition.
The prime mover in the organi1a.
ton Is william H. Stayton, presi-
dent OF the Baltimore Steamship
company. He has obtained the in
dorsement Of q long list of prom.
inent men for his association.
among them two former United
States senators-Weeks Of Massa-
chusetts. and Salisbury Of Della
ware.
Does Prohibition Worki
The activities of this organiza.
ton should certainly bring into the
open the arguments against prohi-
bition. Many Of these are heard in
private, but few Of them seem to
get into the public prints, so that
they are not subjected to critical
examination. There is the claim.
for example, often heard but not
made by this association. that pro-
hibition has not worked. A wet
and a dry can debate this question
all day and reach no agreement
Many sections Of the country can
be pointed out in which prohibition
has undoubtedly worked great good.
While 1t is hard to find city or
section where no considerable H.
lic;t business in liquor is done,
there are many places where the
consumption of liquor has been
greatly reduced, and with it the
number of arrests for drunkenness
and other evils. The wet can reply
to this evidence by pointing to nu- 1
merous sections where DRINKS are
| as numerous as ever, and where
an enormous illicit business is done
with the attendant evil that liQRor
is sold without any regulation. As |
a xesult of this, all sorts of poison
GUS connections get into circula-
ton, and a large criminal business
with large profits is organized.
Thousands of persons are making
easy money out of illicit liquor
sales. who never committed law
/ less act before.
Those who favor some form Of
local option claim that this varying
success of enforcement is the best
proof that local option is the logi-
cal form of prohibition. They
claim that most of the places which
are really almost dry now were
equally dry before the national
amendment became law. while
most of those which were then wet
are still wet. In other words, they
say that neither this law nor any
other law can be enforced except
where it has the substantial en-
dorsement of public opinion
Is Booze Hard to Get3
The dry is very apt to rebut all
this by the assertion that even
where law enforcement is most
difficult a great many persons are
unable to get alcohol because OF
the prohibitive price. Against this
may be brought the fact that the
manufacture of liquor in homes,
which is undoubtedly a growing
practice, is much cheaper than the
buying of it was even before pro-
hibition. Distilled liquors, especial
Ily may be made very cheaply. and
inexpensive stills are publicly ad-
vertised and may be obtained by
anyone.
| Certainly threshing out OF TINS
question of whether national prohi-
bition really prohibits is the thing
most needed. The law will after all
stand or fall in the long run more
on its practical results than on the
theoretical considerations involved
Whatever else it may accomplish
. this association affords an oppor-
tunity, which should be welcomed
. BY all, including prohibitionists, lor
those who oppose prohibition 70
show their strength and courage.
If they have a majority, it Is right
and desirable that they should come
forward and prove the fact.