The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-11-26
Prohibition Wise.

To the Editor, The Washington Herald:
1t was with genuine interest that
I read J. E. VS. article of Novem-
Der ,. This argument is evidently
intended to convince US that about
one in every hundred of our
thoughtful American voters cum
ningly put one over" as it were,
on the innocent, unsuspecting ma
jority!
Examining this apparently p,ausi-
Bile article in the light of cold rea-
soning. and believing myself not IN
duly prejudiced against its princi-
pie, it would surely seem that is.
as the good Christian Scientists
put ii. "a slight error OF statement"
In fact, 1 might truly state that
the error is somewhat more than
slight His argument is as fol-
lows:
ID therefore, in my opinion,
after nearly two years Of opera
ton, there is no noticeable change. {"
CD Also, 80 - the majority Of the
people do not desire and are not in
favor of il. ."
Now. IL the law of prohibition has
brought no noticeable change, why
does our friend so sorely complain
Of its effects? II, as he states, there
has been little change, how have
the dire effects come about with
out any cause. after nearly two
years of operation?
III, as he says. the majority Of
the people do not desire and are
not In favor of il. what. has become
Of our government BY the ma jor-
ity?" Has II. too. become merely a
catchword. and not a principle OF
our government Evidently the
portion of the voting population
against the amendment were asleep
or perhaps. under the powerful in
huence Of that Something for which
they desired to vote!
True, there is no law preventing
muroer; but there is a law punish
ing the murderer. Likewise. there
is no law preventing absolutely the
manufacture and consumption of
alcohol for personal beverage pur-
poses; but there is a law providing
SAoN SUN and EOn-
Stunning shall be punished. That this
law is continuously and cheerfully
disobeyed by officials as well as
civilians, is raising the question
among foreigners Gin some coun-
tries where national poisonous
drinks have successfully been pro-
hibited), whether or not, after all,
the American people are a nation OF
inebriates, ignoring the laws of
their own country IL said laws hap
pen to conflict with their own alb
normal appetites and childish ideas
OF personal liberty.
Taken all in all, the folks who
fume and fret about prohibition
laws may be likened unto little
children who fret fume and pro-
test because their mother has for
bidden them the strong coffee and
stimulating, rich food. which expe-
rience has taught her is inferior in
composition to the simple diet that
makes for strong race of high
minded people, who do not come to
depend upon alcohol and its deriva-
tiyes for their happiness.
Even doctors are now agreeing
that the appetite for alcohol, II not
allowed to be pampered, would
eventually die out. All OF us know
that the desire for real food will
never be absent from the human
race; but the desire for that which
10 not food should logically be
treated as the desire for any other
nonessentisl Many people now-a-
days are obeying the laws; forget
ting themselves in an heroic desire
TO oeneit the future generations.
The desire TO break law is human
and the victory over our abnormal
appetites 10 worthy of attaining.
and should according TO medical
science, and also all mental sci
ences. be attained at all costs to
our personal, selfish desires. We
must learn to do this.
ONLY A WOMAN