Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-10-16
PROHIBITION AND SWEDEN


Tn fact that Sweden recently
voted o3l,;23 80" and 309,aol Yes
on the question OF prohibition should
not discourage tho friends Of prof. ibi-
ton anywhere, especially as IT was
shown tbat in some of the districts
the prohibition sentiment was over
vHclm.nr uuiy Offset hy the Noio in
tie lars cit..s, az in Stockholm
where bat -l.9IO voted for prohibition
- against l3e.a58 opposed TO it.
Hon NJ. y" Thomas. former min
istcr TO - Ion. on returning to Fort
land recent, from spending the I'M
Hraer in Sweden gave an interview
10 the Eyoning Express in which he
declared that th.s vote is only "a
Mirror sr,5lth" He described the
conditions in that country under the
restrictions that long have eeo in
force a. such that the swedish liquor
traffic docs not even remotely re-
scrlbe that which prevailed in this
country pi.or to the Nolstead law.
Tic Swedish reiormcrs, he said, le-
loycd TIE people would wish to so
on record in favor OF prohibition and
were so surc of it that they didn't
ulranlac as tho should have done.
AccDrL.n- 10 data collected By the
nature OF a referendum Of an advi-
sory character. that the most which
vas hoped from II was Tor major
It's big enough TO dccisivoly affect
future policies This docs not appear
10 bc the result. The three leading
prohibition organizations in ti.at
country Conccdc that for the present
.hcto isn't ground Tor continuing the
effort. OF this feature Mr.. Thomas
says. The result was that the com
ing ~ absolute prohibition to Sweden
Is delayed Tor a little but it will
tonne IN the long run Il do not
l.1cte in an. compromise with the
q IL .. i have no patience With
the people in the United States who
talk Of thc likelihood Of resembling
the lsth Ann ndmcnt have no
patience Hith the proposal to :egal-
lac light vines and beer" We
must AMI VIII have enforcement"
Regarding the methods OF dis
r,nsine l,aols IN sweden Mr..
Thomas sad.
sweden IS now operating Under
what is kno" Is the iatlons system.
Under me rdtiOning method Zach
.odc Is provided with card, SINH
lIr 20 tho SUGAR cards which We had
dNilNE tue VdG Upon presentation
~ Lla 'ald he j. gwen a supply of
Liquor for "A munlh-ard small sup
VI - taAt He must make this last
him. II hc gets drunk. his ratons
card ~ either taken away altogether,
~ su:p' ndod for d time. 50 thn it
hfh"o'es man with taste for
Liquor 10 watch his step.
Tine system is far from ideal. AS
] have sara, do not htlicle in any
'omptom.oc on the liquor question
VII n the happicst day OF my
lite Fhcu | SOC an absolute prohibi-
tom lav ~ sweden. and the prohi-
lItun I.r absolutely enforced in
~ United S'l'os, ! admit. however,
t..' tho tmo il not quite ripe for
s4,u action in Sweden at the pres
'n' moment The prohibition forces
must hdc tteIr time hut it need not
~ "A Ions. tunc. Tho vote was very
chose. ard aiVaNs IT must be rcmcm-
frrd 'hat tho anti prohibition forces
lId tlc lest organization and put up
q strong campaign. With the pro-
4 l.tIun forces equally we'll organized,
VEG result might easily have been
d.rr NJ %oN' time they viii have
u n ..r2 ORGANISATION At their com
," fI anl a prohibition chapter
~N ho written INTO the history OF
rcdeH
AlcN,- riorkman Is quoted a.
flN'..ne ~ o0ort 10 mako Sweden
r,.Hh.'o.'. piecc 10y piece Indeed
tlctc a. strong argument Why those
n'rv districts in which there Is
IN overwhelming sentiment for PRO-
lNWttun should he enabled to nave
~ and not bc subjected to the sale
10 lngor within their limits. But
whatever line endcavor may take all
appear TO agree that further effort
VIII he had in the early future.