Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-03-06

Washington, March 6.-The question
Of liquor remains the liyest topic OF the
day in the general conversation OF the
man on the street, on the train, IN his
club. Judging from what anyone may
hear II he listens, it would be thought
that the public sentiment OF the country
were strongly opposed to prohibition,
vet when the matter comes To vote
in this locality or that, the dry vote
seems to come out on top.
There are many explanations offered,
but none Of them is fully satisfactory.
Ardent prohibitioDists say that II ~ a
clear indication that the people Of the
country are against liquor. Yet no inn
partial Judge contends that there is not
tremendous quantity OF booze con-
sumed every day in all parts Of the
country Nature seems TO he On the SIDE
of the vets, az alcoholic drinks can be
mndc from so many things and IN 80
many ways.
The explanation which appears 70
come nearest the truth IL that the
American people are against the saloon
| ANY modification Of the Volsteed la"
which would permit the saloon again u
flourish comes in for opposition iron
the prohittionists, from the apparent
nntipathy of the public TO the restora'
ton Of the old system, and from tht
bootleggers, of course. Probably tht
most ardent supporters OF the eighteenth
amendment are the illicit distiilers and
peddlers Of liquor. The fortunes they
pather would be impossible under any
system where liquor could be legally
dispensed. $50
Corn hkker," once confined to th'
mountain regions, where the NATIVES
distilled their own stuff partly becaus'
of an obsession that they had a God
given right TO put the produce OF then
little corn patches to any use they chos'
without consulting the Federal or stat
authorities or paying taxes, IS mad'
practically everywhere now. Prohibi
] ton Commissioner Haynes admits tina
even in the big cities this "distiliing o
2 corn" occurs, but he says that this IS
J Temporary problem" and not ono OF ~
] great, outstanding, fundamental proh
2 lens"
South Used to Prohibition.
In parts Of South making corn liquor
an old custom, and the liquor has nee
= brought into many Of the cities there &c
. tyears-for most Of the southern state
were legally dry" long before the eigf
u tenth amendment 70 the Constitute
became effective. In one southern cit
notl many miles from the mountain
e Wild re corn distilIing has gone on SIM
J the DAYS OF the colonies, the product
# brought to the city in speeding autom
n biles II pursued by the police the M
Re runners will throw their cargo owe
le board il they find il impossible 10 escap
D and the worst that can happen 10 the
then il conviction for fast driving. som
II times the spot at which the hquor
r. thrown over il carefully marked, al
n some Of it may be retrieved and broug
's in later. This may be and probably
~ true Of many other cities.
4 great difficulty with which the e
ct forcement officials have 20 contend
=. the fact that the United States has SUI
H. An enormous stretch of coast line a
8. two great land borders stretching
ry thousands of miles Every effort is ma
rs 10 head of smuggling, but it IS Of coul
nv impossible to watch the thousands
thousands of little harbors where SIN
in boats may put in under cover OF dai
r. ness without much chance OF detecti'
lis A veritable army of men would
rv needed on the Canadian and Mexic
borders to make it possible TO say tn
N that no liquor comes into the count
n, over the border.
p Attracted by the huge profits, c,
~ scienceless men have put toget
o. poisonous substances which pass
liquor. Wood alcohol and variety
-e other pois ons enter into the make
of these death-dealing potions. Al
nearly every holiday celebration IN
larger cities, the newspapers will p
lish reports of the hospital cases
+, to bad liquor Blindness and death
A- the inevitable results of wood alco
consumption in any considerable gu
4. titles.
hhe Mr.. Haynes Is Confident.
ie- Prohibition Commissioner Hayne:
on optimistic of eventual thorough enfol
cir ment of the dry amendment. IL IS
ay secret that for a long time the legal
Is