The Washington herald., 1921-09-25
BY WILLIAM p. EMO.

made in homes openly. provided 1t
is not sold, instead of its being
made secretly is a step in the right
direction, because IL made openly it
will probably not be so injurious to
health.
To discourage the making Of al
coholic drink in homes by the in
experienced and to permit its being
made by experts under government
regulations as to purity and rea-
sonable rules as to place and time
of sale would be evidence of re-
turning public sanity.
Would Abolish Substitutes.
1t is not the province of this let
ter to discuss whether a moderate
Use of pure alcohol is less or more
injurious to health than the in
creased use of narcotics and other
substitutes such as wood alcohol,
shellac. quaCk medicines and the
liquid that accumulates at the bot
tom of silCs, nor does II take into
consideration the disregard of all
law brought about by the contempt
of one unpopular law, nor whether
the crime wave throughout the
country is or is not increased by
attempted prohibition. nor whether
tie discomfort of the laboring man
at being deprived of a little social
comfort after a long day at hard
work is humanity justifiable.
All these things are worthy of
unbiased investigation. especially
by those members of the Senate
and of the House of Representa-
lives, who may have well stocked
cellars and vote for votes and not
according to their honest copvic.
tions
Dry LAWS Prove Costly.
While admitting that the preced-
ing questions may perhaps be more
important that the financial pros
perity of the nation, our people
should begin to realize how much
money we are losing for the sup
port OF our country through an ex-
pertinent that does not promise
well either for public morality or
bodily health
The budget for the fiscal year
calls for $4,000, 900, 900, more or less.
Various statements in the papers
by those who claim to have made
investigation give astonishing fig
es. One letter lately published
said that up to the present time the
United States had lost SS,l59, 900, ,0Oy
through prohibition. Another
stated that the annual tax loss is
over $1,000, 900. 900. to which, must
be added perhaps $500. 900. 900 more
as the cost of the complicated ma
chinery of enforcement, including
legal procedure and the work of d
Ia -
city and state, which is expending
much of its effectiveness in chasins
bottles instead of burglars Still
another letter says that the profits
from Illegal sales by bootleggers
some prohibition agents paid by the
and free lances exceed
$500. 900, 900.
Would Reduce Budget.
If these last three statements are
true, our people are annually out
about 100000, 900, which. il ap-
piled to taxes. would reduce the
budget from other sources from $4,-
100000 to $4,000. 100000.
Surely these statements ought to
be ample to make all Intelligent
people wonder whether the balance
Of advantage lies with attempted
prohibition or with sane. regulation.
All phases of this subject are now
so serious as to demand careful
thought at time when committees
of the Senate and House of Repre-
are in session, trying to
evolve a plan to reduce our taxes
and restore prosperity to the nation.
Any real remedy must now have a
twofold object-to prevent the
evils of impure liquor and of the
ialoon from returning, and to COM
bat the certainly no less harmful
home brews and Installations
brought into being as a by-product
of attempted prohibition.
Saloons Are Barred,
The first object can be attained
by proper legislation against the
manufacture or sale of
anything alcoholic to drink which
does not comply with government
tai regulation as to purity of all in
Sredients and the forbidding of sa-
oons and bars.
The second object is more dificult
Ind Is practically new problem.
Its solution can come only from be-
ng able TO purchase only a better
quality than can be made at home,
ind this at a reasonable price.
1 beg to offsr to my fellow citI-
,ens the following suggestion: That
with open minds they individually
and collectively weigh the balance
" advantage between attempted
and reasonable regula-
lion. and I herewith give what i
consider reasonable regulations:
Permit Sale In Restaurants.
First-Nothing to be imported,
or sold that does not
.ome up to governmental test of
,urity of contents. All containers
% have printed on a label the per-
of alcohol, and of every
,ther ingredient, the makers name,
late and place of manufacture and
late Of bottling.
second-Saloons or bars to be
Thfrd-Any reputable eating place.
whether a restaurant. hotel or club
70 te able to procure a permit to
'ell alcoholic drink with meals be-
ween the hours Of i've and nine
}. m. this being thought sufficient
o cover the evening meal of all
'lasses of our citizens, the price Of
he permit to be nominal. but
'nough tocover all expenses of the
'overnment in regard to issuance of /;
iermits, keeping OF records. etc. The |
o a ~ II