Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-10-22
Nolstcad Law First in Which
American People Have
Not AcU,licsccd

with tho door Of nope closed ON them
before their eyes have opened to
the light "f day. What could he
more cruel. inhunau or harbarous
than the act az a parent. who. FOR
tho pleasure of drinking. curses a
child unborn? Total abstinence is
tn" only sure way I" avoid III. evils
that follow IN the wake of intern
rcranCc.
business has greatly aided in In,
promotion of prohibition. Railroads
forbid their employees To drink
Press dispatches say that Henry
Ford has recently warned his en-
ploycs that they will hc DISCHARGED
If they are found drinking even in
their homes. This he docs because
Of the number Of accidents caused
10y drink.
Tho war threw "a ghastly light
upon tho evils Of intcmpcrancc and
FASTENED the final triumph OF pro-
hibitiou.
"Wct" Misrepresentation.
The wet papers that misreprcscnt-
cd the history OF the struggle also
miSrcprcSent the present situation.
Ky giving prominence to violations
Of the law and at the same time
overlooking tho benefits brought by
the Law. they create Il false impress
sion as to the effect OF prohibition.
Those interested in knowing the
facts ought To consult those In au-
thority who know what has been
done. instead OF listening to the
falsehoods spread by those antago-
nistir 10 the law. Prohibition Com
missioner Haynes gave out Il state
mcnt recently containing three facts
Of overwhelming importance-iirst.
that more than l2.00O,000 people have
Quit drinking since prohibition went
into effect: second. that the amount
spent for intoXicants has decreased
To the extent OF $2.00G.oQO Il year
since the nation went dry. and third
that the number uf arrests ior
drunliarls has decreased nearly two
thirds. from over 100000 to Il little
over 100000. These facts show ire
mcndous gains.
The wet papers parade each vio-
!ation Of the prohibition law. How
can we expect perfection I'm tho en-
forccment OF a law that has been
on the statute BOOKS less than three
years. when We have not reached
perfection in the enforcement OF laws
that have been on statute books for
time immemorlil?
The law against murder Is a very
ancient one, and yet murders are
still committed and those who COM
NIT the crime are not always found
and punished The law against steal
ing has come down To us from the
earliest days. and yet people still
steal and not al of them are pun
ishcd. More. than 5000 automobiles
were stolen in New York City last
year according to recent press
dispatch) AMI less than half of them
were found. The wet newspapers.
which so faithfully chronicle every
violation Of the prohibition law.
should give their readers the total
number Of automobile thcfts In the
United States and tho per cent of
arrests.
L"girnl AhsurditicS.
II il is logical 10 demand the re-
veal Of the prohibition law because
it is sometimes violated. why not de-
mand the repeal ~ the law against
stealing automobiles because so
many are stolen" II il is true. as some
say, that the prohibition law Guilt
Yates Il desire 10 drink. by pruhihit-
Ing IL. why not argue that the Lew
against stealing automobiles culti-
!itcS a desire to steal? WHY not de
mand the repeal OF the ten com
mandmcnts by the same logic? Il
the vets would only apply 10 the
prohibition question the same com
mon sense that they apply to uiAc.