The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1922-01-20
IS
real SUCCESS
IN MANY CITIES
Decrease in Crime of All
Kinds and Poverty is
Shown in Survey of
Nation.

CHICAGO.-Prohibition is excellently
enforced in nine tenths of the area
of the country and in the remainder
is sufficiently well enforced to be a
very great Improvement over the H.
cense system.
This is the result of an investigation
covering several months, through Off
Cial channels and direct inquiry as
announced TO-DAY by the DR.. Deets
Pickett. Research Secretary Of the
Board of Prohibition, Temperance, and
Public Morals Of the Methodist Epis-
copal Church The organization of
the church was used as one of the
agencies of information. which was
obtained from 10000 heads of churches
and with numerous leaders Of the 10,.,
900, 900 lay adherents. The statement
includes no figures not personally
verified, DR. Pickett states.
The investigation showed that "there
had been an enormous decrease in
the consumption of liquor, "a decrease
not less than So and possibly more
than 30 per cent according to Or.
Pickett. This has resulted in
very large decrease in the number
Of arrests for drunkenness and in Il
very considerable increase in the pur-
chasing power Of the poor and Of the
skilled and unsklled laborers," says
the report.
Helpful ii Cities.
"1n San Francisco prohibition de-
creased arrests for drunkenness in
its first year from 1884 to 1874.
In Los Angeles from 1880 to 2,5S9.
In Boston, it was from 52,6S2 to 16.-
4S7 In Baltimore, in the last wet
October, there were 1,165 arrests for
drunkenness and in the first dry
October, 119. We have similar reports
from the heads of police Of Washing
ton, st. Paul, Lincoln, Galvestin, ST
Louis and other cities.
THE fact of increased purchasing
power is attested by signed state
ments Of the secretaries of chambers
of commerce, real estate dealers, fur
niture and musical instrument dealers
and merchants of many kinds.
Petty Crime Decreases.
There has also been a large de.
crease in petty crimes In Boston,
prohibition brought about a decrease
in the number Of cases Of assault
from 2,l27 to .673 in one year. In
St. Louis, petit larceny declined from
6,l67 TO $500.
There has also been decrease in
more serious crimes in many cities
The wet propagandists have spoken
much Of a crime wave in New York.
have it on the authority OF the
Commissioner OF Police OF the city
of New York. that in 1913, there were
11,6l1 burglaries, and in 1920 only
$3.50. He makes similar statements
as TO commissions of crime OF serious
nature on other charges.
Even better results have been obtain
ed in rural and small town districts.
Decrease in Poverty.
There has been n startling de-
crease in poverty and financial dis
tress. The hospitals have been re-
leyed. In Philadelphia, in six months
Of the last wet year, there were l.
1874 cases of aloaholismr in general
hospitals and in the same months OF
the next year, 276. Similar reports
have been received from other cities.
1T is frequently stated by alcohol
propagandists that there is In the
United States enormous illicit distilla-
ton. that nearly every family makes
alcohol. Obviously, this is simply an
expression Of opinion. In America,
only Il few families OF German ex-
traction know how to make palatable
beer Whiskey, illicitly produced, is
so nearly -palatable that only hab-
| itual alcoholics can consume IT,. Pri-
vate distillation and brewing, while
1t worries the prohibition officers by
necessitating many arrests, is an in
significant factor.
Prohibition is a relative success
now, and is IN the road TO complete
| success"
An accounts and notes due II. Levy