Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-02-15
ADDRESS OF ESIDENT FEATURES
INSTITUTE WHITE R|BbONERS

states, the District of Columbia, Alas
ka, Porto Rico and Hawaii, among
more than 120.0O0.000 people--results
which are nothing short of remark
able
Disappearance of the open saloon.
abatement of open drinking in pub
lie dining rooms, passing of the
! treating evil, which was recognized
as the greatest contributing agency
in the development of liquor APP
petite, changed attitude of former
hostile statesmen, political leaders
and the press
THE report of the QUESTIONABLE
sent out by the Journal of Medical
Association is truly q remarkable
vindication of the Volstead Law in
| sofar as it applies to the medical
profession. Twelve percent of the
physicians giving their decisions, fav-
or the absolute Prohibition of the
prescribing of whiskey, and there is a
| very general and decided opinion
among the doctors that the prohibit
ton law has not caused suffering by
| it's restriction upon the medical pro-
fession. Seventy-eig percent Of the
physicians replying declared that
they had not observed any such suf-
fering in their practice. OF the 49
states, 20 states oppose tho use Of
whiskey while every single state re-
turned negative vote against beer
and wine.
"In relating the history of the
worlds greatest nation. under Con-
| stitutional government, historians
! now agree with Fiske in calling the
| period Immediately after the ratifica-
ton of that constitution in 1889 the
| critical period in American history.
SO too in the history of our greatest
! reform, prohibition, which is to be
| worked out under the provisions Of
the 18th Amendment to that Consti-
tuition, may we call the period imme-
diately following the ratification. the
critical period in prohibition. Histo-
rians declare that during that crit
ical period were the destructive
| forces most powerful and active, the
proper functioning of the Constitu-
ton most difficult and the needs Of
| workers and leaders in the strength
ening of that great document most
important. 1t was then the genius of
q Hamilton, the wisdom of a Wash
| ington, the faith of a Jefferson, and
the courage and strength of Mar
shall to guarantee the success of our
government by Constitution, and back
of these did We need the steady, loyal,
| coolheaded, alert efforts. OF the hosts
OF patriots, to give to us, their de-
! scendents, the heritage we have re-
! celved in our great Democracy.
i $50 too. in this the critical period
| of prohibition. do we need the same
! far-sighted leadership, the same
dauntIess adhesion to honest con-
viction. So now do we need to real
4, ize that the destructive forces are
alert and active. that the proper
! functioning of the amendment is in
its most difficult stage, that there is
a need for alert and ver-ceasing
work by the sober, Industrious citi-
zens of this land. that we too MY
hand down to our ,posterity a heri-
| tage of a sober nation under a great
/ government in a dry land
| Little diScernmcnt is needed to
! discover that the American people
; have become victims of q country
, wide system OF, press propaganda in
; favor of the liquor traffic Not in
! full-page advertisements. or columns
of arguments against the Constitu-
| tional Amendment Of the working of
the Eolstead Act, it is rather by sub
| tie suggestions, gibes, and indirect
| meanings. News items reporting the
! failure of prohibition in certain Sec
, tions, stories of tremendous increase
in the use of narcotic drugs. of the
! inability of courts to care for cases,
| because of the multitude of violators,
reports that there Is more liquor
! drunk now than before we had pro-
| hibition-these are some of the insid-
ious ways by which the liquor in
tcrests seek to poison the minds of
| tt people.
From various. reliable sources it is
! estimated that there were twenty
! million drinkers in the United States
before the country went dry and that
seventeen million five hundred thou
sand of these former drinkers have
quit. It is estimated that there are
! 100000 drinkers in the United
| States before the country went dry
and that 17,5C0,00O Of these former
drinkers have quit. A wonderful rec
ord. Only 1870 Of former drinkers
are drinking now and these are drink.
ing but So of the quantity Of liquor
| that was formerly consumed while
| the entire drink bill Of the nation has
decreased $4,000. 100000 a year.
| ARRESTS for drunkenness have de-
: creased 61cL.
THE year 1921 was the hea,thiest
: in the United States according to fig
ures submitted by thirty-seven lead
. ing insurance companies.
| Mr. John Walker Harrington,
i, writing in the New York Times of
j Jan. 18th says that wood alcohol
! rolled up n formidable list of casual
ties before prohibition was ever
thought of The menace Of wood
alcohol was almost as great before
! there was any alcohol amendment
he states. Considering the condi-
tons. the evil results from wood al
cofol have been kept very close to the
minimum
IN great National gatherings ii
las sometimes been my pride to
speak of the splendid attitude of the
rress of Maine regarding temper
ance and prohibition. Let us hope
that this attitude will continue and
| that the wave that seems to have
swept some, sections of the State will
subside, never again to raise it's I'M
patriotic crest. We believe the law is
being enforced in the State of Maine
IN n commend a Ia deprao md that IL