Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-04-28
AS TO PROHIBITION
Henry S, Williams Tells What II
Has Done for Downtown--The
Alrship's Use In CONNER
clal Photography
BY GEORGE NOX MCCAIN
uENRY S. WILLIAMS, preside

uENRY S. WILLIAMS, president
L L of the Western Soup Society and
Community House. like every other
philanthropist in Philadelphia, Is deeply
interested in the results of prohibition
and its associated problems.
At his request the Department OF
Public Safety recently furnished him
with official statistics relating to. ar.
rests for intoxication and disorderly
conduct prior to and sinccthe prohibi-
tion amendment went into effect.
1t is the most striking and illumina-
tive presentation on this subject that
have seen anywhere.
In the months of January and Feb
ruary, 1919, during the closing days OF
the wet era the total arrests for
intoxication and disorderly conduct,
which latter is usually associated with
the flowing bowl, were 62S3. with
total for other offenscs of 300. The
aggregate of arrests for the same causes
in January and February. 1929, six
months after prohibition became effect
i've. had decreased to 1929 and arrests
for other offenses to 5S2S.
And this is official
"THINK of it," said Mr.. Williams
L discussing the figures, more than
so per cent fewer arrests in January
and February of this year as compared
with January and fsoruary IN lolo,
When the saloons OF fhiiaueiphia WERE
doing business!
t might interest you 10 KNOW l,at
In lolI l made survey or the NUMBER
OF saloons within four olocks OF SIX
tcenth and south streets Az that tlme
there were thirty -four OF thcm DONG
business.
estimated that IN order TO meet
thelr expenses alone these saloons must
take IN over the par at least S5ooo each
year. ms estimate whlch Is con
scrVatlve one, meant an expenditure for
liquor in that zone alone OF more than
SloO.Ooo.
This money is now being expended
Tor FOOD and clothing, ana mas resulted,
as our organization can TESTIFY, IN
tremendous Improvement in the morals
OF that district.
THE most unexpected development
- that | have found in connection with
/ prohibition is that some OF its most
ardent advocates now were its most
vigorous opponents prior to July !,
/ 1919.
) They seem to have got their second
! wind. and with it new slant on the
rum question. \ we'll known man
about town. of large political acquaint-
ance and who to my personal knowl-
edge was steady drinker for thirty
years. now voices contempt for booze.
II never miss it, he said. Any
how, it's all habit. This talk about
it being disease with some men is
pure bunk. 1t was convenient cx-
cuSe for fellows who didn't have the
moral courage or will power to quit the
stun when it could be had for the ask
ing. Disease: Bosh =!
: The most common expression of ap-
proval, discover, which comes from
men who formerly were moderate drink
crs. and for that reason had shut their
eyes to its evils. is:
I've got three boys growing up. and |
never want them to be subjected to its
temptations.
r>.nn,c,- ~ 80.
fNDhi'h v l'oSS' oi inns city,
IL Norwegian engineer and inventor
presents view of the other side OF
the shield
Norway has been under prohibition
since 1916. Its progress under the lfor
Norway unusual experiment OF ma
tlonal prohibition Is being watched by
the entire European world.
With the exception of the United
States and Norway. Turkey is the only
other European country hitherto re
garded as a prohibition nation and fire.,
from the influence of intoXiCants. Rus
sia has banishcd vodka and France some
years back got rid of the curse Of ab.
sinthc. but both cling to beer and wine
While to MOhammedans intoxicants
in any form are forbidden by the Koran
vet, as | have had ample evidence il
ConstantinopIo, the male Turk is pos
sCssed "of passions like unto our
selves. and large numbers Of then
take their I'VE" nippy' like an Eng
lishman. and sometimes get drunk lik,
| an American.
-
A CLIPPING from Bergen tNor'
way) daily newspaper which Mr.
following:
I'm the month of February. 1916
the last year of 'wNtnCss in that cOun,
try. there were in Bergen, its prinripa
city, 334 arrests with fines for drunk
cnneSs.
, In February, 1917. the first year
, under prohibition. there We're 10T ar.
rests for the same cause. Then fol.
low in iucrpaSin ratio those hDuro