The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-01-31
ON SECOND THOUGHT
By JAZZ =. HOUSE
(Fron Philadelphia Public Ledgsf.l

While we permit no man to Guido
us in general enthusiasm for prohibit
optimistic view of our confrere, Mr..
WAYNE B. Wheeler Mr.. Wheeler's
estimate, and he says it's conservative,
is that prohibition saved the people OF
the United States billion dollars last
year. Mr.. Wheeler also sees reduc-
ton of about rs per cent in the con-
sumption of malt and spirituous
liquors. The point we make in the
connection, however, is that II PROM
bition saved the people a billion doll
lars last year, where is it.
OF course, our failure to approxi
mate the high pitch of optimism
achieved by Mr.. Wheeler is easily ex-
planned. 1t is not matter of diff
ference in temperament. for we are,
as everybody knows, the most emo
tional of men. The trouble is Mr..
Wheeler is paid to be optimistic, while
we have to be optimistic for nothing.
Mr.. Wheeler INDUCED rather lavish
Iy in figures in the statement which he
gave to the Associated Press. Since
he will be generous enough to accord
his fellow worker the same privilege
we take the liberty of making a few
hasty computations. Just previous to
our perusal of Mr.. Wheeler's state
ment We had read a pitiable and NOV
ing tale in the old home paper. A new
chief of police, intent on making a rec
ord, had raided the home of q friend.
He confiscated the rather elaborate
brewing apparatus of the friend. we
happen to know that said apparatus
cost our friend $3.50. He is out his
original $3.50 and will have to spend
$3.50 additional to replace the machin-
cry confiscated. In the old days-he
was then a most abstemious person
his liquor bill never amounted to more
IL nos
of raw material-and raw material
runs into money nowadays, prohibition
will cost our friend $3.50 this year. 1t
may cost him more. His plant may
again be confiscated. He might be
raided half a dozen times.
There are. roughly speaking. 90
100000 families in this country. OF
this number it is conservative to say
that 10, 100000 consume some liquor,
more or less. OF the 10000, 600 fami-
lies it is again conservative to say that
at least 100000 are trying to brew
their own. We figure and if our fig
ureS are wrong we ask that they be
corrected, that experiments in the
matter of connecting the artificial urge
have cost these families an average of
500 apiece during the last year. In
other words, prohibition has cost them
the giganticisum of 100000. And
because the various beverages either
soured or exploded, most of it may be
set down as total waste.
Nor have we yet done with the ex-
pense of prohibition. Mr.. Wheeler's
figures show that a total of 1920, sos
gallons of hard" liquor were con-
sumed in this country last year. To
be perfectly fair, and probably more
than perfectly fair. let it be admitted
that 13,22O,90S gallons eame from
private stocks purchased at the pre-
prohibition rate. 1t must be conceded
that as much as 100000 gallons
were purchased on the open market.
In the old days the average price of
liquor, counting that sold by the drink
was not more than $40 a gallon. The
price of hard" liquor during the last
year has ranged from s2S to S140 a
gallon. Let US take $50 a gallon as
fair average the country over. If
the figures stand up prohibition has
cost another $500, 100000 and the bill
lion dollars saved by Mr.. Wheeler is
entirely wiped out.
The moral is that any man can take
pencil and paper and show a divi-
dend for his cause, but the money
must be in the bank before it can be
RENTED to the stockholders.
We add that we are particularly in
terested neither in knocking" nor in
we can be a NJ combatant we are one
But as nearly as possible the truth
should be told abo-t it, and the truth
is that Mr.. (Wheeler's figures are as
ridiculous as those adduced by this
commentator.
The more or less esteemed New
York American announces a forth
coming article by Elinor Glyn on the
training of girls. We are not sure an
article on the training of girls is
needed; but if it is. Mrs. Glyn- in
dubita bly, is the lady to write it.
We no longer recall the name of
the novel in which the detail of her
career appeared. but we do remem-
Der that one girl trained by Mrs. Glyn
made a grand success.
Not satisfied with its success in
landing General Wood in Mr. Hard
1ng's cabinet, the New York Tribune
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