Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-04-29
AN EXTREMELY WET DRY LAW
WAS MADE FOR PENNSYLV VANlA
The Woner Bill. Passed Yesterday, Is
Almost Funny. Though II May
Yet Do Some Good

TT WILL be- said Of the state prohibition
act passed yesterday AZ Harrisburg that
il is the wCttest dry law ever written in this
or any other world that 1t offers unprec
"dentcd temptations 70 dishonest public
officials and opens the way 10 almost limit
Nsa graft and hopeless intcrmingling of
ho"ch and politics.
That sort of criticism may he justified in
communities that continue 70 put their ad
ministrative affairs in the hands of corrupt
aud untCaChGble politicians.
A. this writing the folk who have been
trying 10 raise BarlcycOrn from the dead
are almost jubilant. They will be wiser to
wait and 60 slowly. For the general effect
uf the new law. defective aud amended al
most Ia death as II was. may hc good
II will make life little harder and NOR"
uncertain for those who have been making
easy money by fouting the authority of the
federal governments
It represents at least the pretenSp Of an
effort on the part of the state to extend its
aid 10 tho national government in what must
be regarded at least as au extensive cX
pertinent for social bettcrmcnt.
And. because II has been written on III"
books no one will have 10 nut the blame
for statewide scandal ot graft and law.
lcSsncSs on Providence or William Jennings
Bryan nr human natur" or the Office ca;.
Tho blame for Illegal liquor traffic in this
state will rest Aatly after this upon III"
district attorneys Of the various counties
They may nor he able or willing ~ enforce
The law But thov will have to tell why
and that is something
The Brooks high license law is continued
ou the statute books aud the license fees
ore cut in half The burden Of proof is
put upon tho prosecutors. Neither the
mayors nor the police are granted any new
legal facilities for the maintenance of the
now law. Initiative and the work of in
vr>tigation are left 70 the courts and the dis
trrt Gttornrvs and only the district attor.
noy Is granted the right Of summary search
in places suspected Of systematic violation
of inc dry law.
District attorneys ar" necessarily CLOSE
to political lenders and most political lead
or> have NOT been untriendly to sa loon own
"rS in tho past. But the fact remains that
power ~ begin actual enforcement of prOhi-
hition is placed in tho hands of the state
elected officials. Ia tho end. if public onin
ion is nS strongly behind the dry laws a.
the drvs believe il to be. these men will have
t. make the law operative or quit their
offices
The question with which they arc con
frnnted does NOT relate 10 the rights W
wrongs III" wisdom or the unwisdom. Of
IN" NolStrad act. 1t is another question
entirely. and il is this II responsible off
,,iaIs of the srate manifest disrcspcct for
the provisions Of the federal constitution.
how can they Justify indictments of thc folk
whom they pat in jail for what is com
monty called radicalism and contempt Of
law?
Even fiery tongucd champions OF personal
liberty who still ar" disposed I" regard the
NulStpad art rs a crime against fair
civilization admit hurriedy that If you left
il ~ them. they wouldn't let the saloon
como barn.
Many such people IpnorNntly b"li"v" that
the saloon has gone. II was bad thing
they will tell voI. Il was rho most con
Spiruous Of all modern Influences for the
degradation 81 community life and com
mgnity politics in rho T'nitcd States. II
kopr muItilud"s poor and millions Of chill
dreu in misery and il mad" countless men
old aud h"pp,rss in what should have been
thrir best years.
Now m" odd thing 70 observe j. thai
tho >aI"on>. wh"rc all tn" trouble began. are
~" only in>tirIti"nS that nav" come through
tie dry rrjSl, with least damage. Hotels
aud other n.tahI ShmHutS where frpwat, r
WIS n mere incident in the scheme Of on
ror'a.um"nt suffered heavy losses and seri
oI> luronv"nIruro. The brewers arc III n
uaz~. DiStIcrins ar" drifting out Of huSl-
r.~s But >a,uouS continue to thrive. Their
urges arn higher ruan the prices Of old. and
.Io stuF rnoy sell is more dangerous, md tine
drnIn on the n"iGhborhoods in which thc,
"SiS' = heavier than il used t" be. But
nauy of them have been making moro
uoury than they ever made before
The aiority in the Pennsylvania hogi>.
'0u,ro rallied 70 their protection II had
been proposed hat the police. with the
,an,tl"n ~ their directing officials. b" per
urit'rd by law :" enter and search public
r'a,c~ against which strong suspicion If law
,'".atiou rested That provision was
1mrnjcu OAK Of tho Wonor bill \ reading
~ IA" hill makes it pretty plain thar ia"
uolEro generally win unW hav" no NOR" r"
,,,onsrbIiry for dry enforcement than they
had before.
Rur oven in iIs Drrsen, shape the Wuu"r
law will strike hard OF one very vuln"rnhio
r,uro in the stat, system Of Illicit liquor
rattle II Will mnK" the transportation Of
liquor moro dangerous. particularly in 70
ginnS whore rhr state police are organized
and a"rIve
Drys ami vets alike ought 70 have worked
for a moro efficient drv law in PennsyIvRniu
For reform in the prohibition law, whether
by reform yog mean u NOR" liberal or n moro
Strl'' regulation of HQuOr sales and manu-
facturc cannot be attained unit! the proS"nr
federal avs are tested by actual enforce
nnni The present confusion only prolong.
The agony for every body. And there il IttIt
pn rur now stare DR. law 70 make it possible
for rnc people 10 tell whether they want tr
ne bone dry by giving them an opportunity
~ learn what bone dryness is like.