The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-09-18
PROHIBITION AN ECONOMIC ISSUE

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It was inevitable that sooner or later the pro-
bibition issue would take an economic form.
We are now told that congress. when II recon.
vencs, will be forced 10 consider seriously that
aspect OF tho matter,
Two years have disclosed that prohibition
docs not mean Temperance or anything APP
preaching temperance. despite the fact that the
people ara required TO supply HUNDREDS Of mil
lions Of dollars annually for the attempted en-
foroement Of the law. Prohibition United States
Is now the wettest country In tho world. ~ We
are to accept tho report Of a French authority
who has just recently completed n world wide
Investigation.
In addition TO this ever growing cost Of prohi-
biiion non-enforccmcnt thero Ia tho loss to tho
government of the internal revenue. which,
even undor the old tax laws. amounted to hun
dreds Of millions Of dollars. A very consider
able portion OF tho tax load that now strains
tho back OF the body polite is trnceabio d.
rectly TO those two sources OF loss.
And the country has grown Tremendously
moro Incorporate. It II perfectly idle to argue
the moral standpoint. The Chinese proverb APP
plies: Liquor does not make n man drunk,
tho man does that" II In said that Drawing ard
dlstilling has become almost n universally prac-
ticed art all over America. Drinking intoxicating
liquors as a habit has taken hold Of people who
previously never thought OF such a thing. It
Is an exceedingly simple and economical
process, converting corn into whisky, and we
arc told that an unbelievable number OF farm
ere are making corn liquor FOR their own use"
precisely as their wives are %"setting' yeast and
making bread.
THAT this liquor will find its way into other
hands IN just MS certain as that the seasons will
continue TO occur, unless government Is pre-
pared to set an agent at every threshold In the
land: and even then, because the existing law
is not supported by public opinion anywhere.
and many OF the enforcement agents simply use
their opportunity to acquire easy money.
Liquor In selling nt from st2 TO 800 a gal
Ion. The point is that 1t IL actually selling at
these figures. In tremendous quantities.. It In
flowing across every international frontier In
an over increasing stream. England and her
dominions. as well as some OF the countries
south of us. are growing prosperous out OF
their liquor trade with prohibition United
| States. while we are imposing vast taxes on our
nationals and growing poorer In a vain attempt
20 stem the flow.
II tho United states government was collect
ing an internal tax OF SO on every gallon OF
intoxicants being consumed In prohibition
United States, the revenue would probably meet
every need OF government and result in sub
s~tautially lowering the price OF liquor. For
much OF the present exhorbltant price Ia due to
the hazard OF the illegal traffic and the hush
money paid various governmental agencies,
These are some OF tho aspects OF tho prohibit
ton issue that must be discussed in tho open,
They are immutablo facts. Two characteristics
Of man have endured from tho very earliest
moment OF his known existefco-his response to
sex lure and his use OF sIimulants. one can be
successfully stamped out by prohibitory laws
quite as easily az the other. Both can be sue
uessfully regulated and brought within the
bounds Of the most moral requirements.
The world believes that common sense and
material economies wi. force the United States
TO very materially amend the Volstead prohibit
tory law; that light wines and beer and prob
ably liquor, will eventually be recognized as
legitimate and made TO boar the hrunt OF taxa
ton; that such legislation will not only take a
terrific load Oft the back OF the people, but
viii add materially to the contcBtment Of the
force respect for the lave regulating such
traffic.
No people will forever bear uncomplainingly
such an economic load as tho theoretic and al
together impractical reformers have placed
upon the back Of the American citizenship.
especially when It falls 80 far short OF perform
ing its mission.