The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-03-18
ASSERTS FUTIllTY
OF WET EFFORTS

Washington, March 1T.-~The latest
attack on national prohibition is TO be
found in bills memoriaiizIng congress
to provide for 3 " per cent beer. One
of the states in which the liquor In
terests have been able to obtain &C.
tion asking for such national iegisla-
tion Is Maryland. In regard to its AZ
titude, Wayne b. Wheeler general
| counsel of the AntT-saloon League,
said that it was useless for the Mary
land legislature to ask congress to
change law which it had but recently
adopted by vote OF two to one. es-
pecially as every vote since that time
had indicated that congress had not
changed its mind in regard to the
value OF prohibition lie also pointed
out that the decision of the supreme
court had said in effect that congress
was justified in adopting the one-half
of ! per cent standard. its decis en-
holding that "it is deemed imposei hle
effectively to enforce prohibitory Ii "
or other law regulating the manufac-
ture and sale of intoxicating liquors
If liability is made to depend on the
issuable fact whether or not the par
ticular liquor made or sold is intoxi-
eating"
"A 31s per cent beer means the re-
tcntion of the old beer saloon. with
its corrupt influence on the commu-
nifty and the policies of the state and
nation." said Mr.. Wheeler.
The liquor interests, according to
the sworn testimony introduced before
The judiciary committee, have been for
years the most perfectly organized and
corruptiy active force in American
politics. II state legislatures and all
state executive officers. after & federal
law is adopted should use their in =
fiuence to sustain 1t. rather than to
join an outlawed evil in trying to
bring 1t hack to life, it would greatly
beneht the community.
1T has been proven repeatedly that
al per cent beer, which the proposed
bill sanctions Is intoxicating. 1t Is
about the same as ordinary beer be-
fore the war. Every one admits that
! you can drink enough of 4 or 5 per
cent beer 10 produce intoxicaticn.
! One third more in quantity of 3is per
/ cent beer will produce practically the
same effect as ii 3 per cent beer.
THE remarkable results OF prohi-
hition are a complete vindication OF
the action by congress in passing the
, national prohibition code. declared
Mr.. Wheeler. Comparing the hrst
six months under national prohibition
with the last sin months of open So =
looms. crime has decreased about N
per cent. The chief of police in Cleve-
land said that murders have decreased
one half since prohibition went into
effect In many places branches OF
the criminal court are being abolished
because they are not needed Arrests
Tor drunkenness have decreased near
ly so per cent.
THE inebriate ward of the General
Hospital in Philadeiphia closed it's
doors July /. tSiA--The Danvers State
Hospital. in Massachusetts. has de-
creased its cases for alcoholism over
60 per cent Poverty is decreasing
Of the board in charge Of the poor
house announced recently, Prohibition
is robbing the poorhouse OF Its ten
ants Accidents are decreasing, Mr.
stanley president of the Cleveland
Street Car company, stated that shut
ting off of liquor had reduced tho
danger of accidents and removed the
underlying cause of fights. Labor aud
business have been greatly benefited.
The president OF the Guardian 4 Trust
company Cleveland, o.. says record
of all banks shows an increase in saw
ts.g aAa sNsass ~ lssels q, be str5ea1sd
TO prohibition.
I'm Bloomington. H., the home OF
brewers and distillers there are twice
as many men under employment as
were formerly in the employment OF
the distillers and brewers. Trsmps
are going to work and becoming In
struments of production because there
are no longer free lunches and the sa :
, loon st2ye, says an. official. OF the New
York Central Railway company,
with decreased crime. misery and
poverty and Increased wealth and pro-
ductive power. the nation will not suf :
fer long from the lass Of revenue. .
Ar. Wheeler coneff