The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-02-07
ECONOMIC RESULTS
Of PROHIBITION

Fall River, Mass, Feb. 6.--Deciar-
ing that during the few months of
war time prohibition tremendous
economic benefits were experienced
by the United States. and that much
more is Ii to be expected that the
same benign result will attend nation
wide and permanent prohibition" the
Fall River News points out some OF
the things that prohibition already
has accomplished in the following
editorial comment on the situation:
There is a great volume Of facts
showing the moral and nateriai ad-
vantage accruing from the prohibition
of the liquor traffic. The evidence
presented here touches wartime pro-
hihition only. Reports of decrease.
not only of drunkenness, but of crimes
of all sorts, reports OF emptied Jafis
and warehouses. or greatly reduced
number OF inmates. of advancing real
estate values, of increased business
activity. and of Improvement In the
employdemnt situation. are numerous
Much was done to thwart the benign
operation OF the federal edict Yet
police chiefs and justices OF police
courts have borne emphatic testimony
to the diminution of crime.
'In 10 Massachusetts, cities there
were 4.s6a arrests In June. 1912. In
the succeeding month, the first dry
month. there were only Ss5--a de-
crease of more than 80 per cent
Springfield. Illinois. enjoyed dimi-
mutton of SIS per cent In It's crime
docket in the first Is days under pro-
hibition. Similar statistics come from
Cincinnati. Baltimore. Chicago and
new York. Before a month OF this
prohibition had passed. public officials
began TO talk OF reducing the number
OF jail attendants and policemen. 1t
Is said that the Jail will be turned into
a schooihouse, as the Fall River jail
was converted into the City Heme-
On August 8, the city prison Of Co.
lumbus. Ohio, for the first time in its
history, had no inmates Various
houses OF corrections are being closed
as no LONGER needed.
'In hospitals and infirmaries the
result of the Punishment OF hooxe Is
appalling. The inebriate ward of the
Philadelphia General hospital, which
had 3.4sl cases in 1917 and 2.326 in
1918. closed its doors last July The
department caring for. DRINKS at our
State Farm has a very great scarcity
of inmates. and therefore OF farm
WOihtEA AS (OnHtCtALuS clate
drunkards has been abandoned. The
New York Tribune published a page
chewing how prohibition had boosted
property values in that city. The
same story comes from other cities
The hotel business was never so
prosperous. New hotel facilities are
being provided in many cities Great
increases I'm sayings banks deposits
In 1919 are noted in all parts of the
country.
Atlanta, Feb. 6.-Prohihition Is
rapidly reducing the number of ar
rests Throughout the state and econ
omies are already being instituted In
various sections The latest action In
this direction is noted in the town OF
.brewton. In the southern part OF the
state, where the decrease In Dig num-
Der OF arrests has teached a point to
make 1t unnecessary further to main
tain a town marshal. and the present
incumbent. therefore, will go out OF
Office on February without = suc-
cessor. He records that he has made
only one arrest since October l OF last
year. This stands out in sharp con-
trast to the days Of the sale Of liuuor.
when. he says. II was CUSTOMARY for
him to have no less than six to twelve
cases before the mayor every morning
The town government decided, fhere-
fore, that under present conditions II
is a useless. expenditure OF the puhlixs
funds to maintain a marshal.