The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-05-13
Frederick Haskin's Letter
tspea.i Correspondence of
DRYING UP THE WORLD

!, members were wanted except those
who believed the present supposed
/ ly dry regime bad thing, with the
bootlegging evil rampant, and who
want a modification OF the Volstead
! law or eventual repeal of the drv
amendment to the constitution.
| The efforts of the dry organiza-
tons will be spread TO other couu-
tries. Some Of the agents of those
associations Ave dreams OF a drv
world. They are particularly de-
Sirous of making countries within
striking distance of the United
| States abolish the legal sale and
manufacture of liquor and beer.
believing that this will be a stem
toward making prohibition effective
in the United States. Parts of Can
ada are somewhat dry now. but
Mexico and the West Indian is
lands, other than those under the
American flag. are as wet as can
be.
Just at this time, though. the
whole attention of the anti-saloon
league, for instance, is centered in
the coming congressional cleo
tions. Some candidates, such as
Senator Reed of Missouri, have si-
ator Reed has attacked the actions
ator Reed ha sattacked the actions
of Wayne Wheeler, the moving
spirit in the anti-saloon league.
publicly. Then, too, the profession
al reform organizations have the
beginning or organized opposition
to fight this year. From present
indications, this is regarded only as
a beginning by the anti-dTy organ
izations, which are just getting IN
der way. However, they hope to BE-
able even at this time to make their
presence felt.
Prospects Elsewhere,
If it should happen that the dry
era of today is not a passing phase
of public opinion in America, and
that the spirit should spread to the
rest of the world, the progress IS
bound to be slow and perhaps dis
appointing to the hackers of pro-
hibition. For instance, the bust
ness of prohibition is not likely 10
appeal strongly to the people Of
this hemisphere to the south of the
United States. Latins are different
from Anglo-saxOns. They are diff
ferent peoples. and they regard
strong drink from different angles.
The drunkenness which was used
as an argument for the abolition Of
the saloon in the United States is
seldom met with among Latin
They prefer to sit down
when they drink, and two drinks
usually will keep a Latin American
occupied for several hours. Il IS
going to prove a hard matter TO
convince them that they are ruin
ing themselves mentally, morally,
or financially at that
rate of consumption.
But if prohibition spreads. and
takes in not only Europe and the
but Africa, the island
groups and Asia as well, Shanghai
probably will have the distinction
of being the last city of any cOnse-
quence to bar liquor officially. This
is because of the complicated gov
eminent of this Chinese city. The
powers of the world all have =
great deal to say about this treaty
port" and they are not backward
in the least about saying it.
For instance, there are French
courts there for trials and suits in
voIving French citizens. American
courts for Americans, British
courts for subjects Of King George,
and so on. If an American files
suit against an Englishman, max
ing the Englishman defendant, II is
customary to hear the suiE = -
British courts.
America, though officially dry
an amendment TO its con-
stitution, has never thought of try
ing to forbid the sale of liuus" n
1t is doubtful whether
this would be attempted, should
prohibition spread throughout the
world, until the last of the inter
ested powers had gone on record
for abolition of the liquor trade
Then China would have TO be taken
into consideration. because Of the
big native population of this port
The apprehensive dipsOmaniac
would do well to take up his resi-
ience in this far eastern asylum.