The Washington herald., 1922-07-14
The Truth About Prohibition.

= find fault with some distinctvely American
institution. The favorite subject for their
irritable explosions has been prohibition. Many
notable and from the other side OF
the Atlantic have wasted good breath and good
printers ink telling us how farcical is the enforce
-ment OF dry laws in the United States. Mrs.
.-Asquith, for instance. just this week published
sarcastic and ungracous interview the boot
leggers and moonshiners" of the United States
1t is relief to find one Britisher who
things in different light. correspondent of the
Manchester Guardian England's leading liberal
paper and by a sheet devoted to anti
saloon league propaganda, has been making a spe-
cial study of prohibition. The first of his reports
was published early this month He has made,
without doubt. unbiased investigation.
He did not find prohibition failure. On the
other hand, he frankly that he is amazed at
the remarkable success which has attended this
Here is an Engishman broadminded
enough and intelligent enough to overlook the
petty evasions Of the law OF which his countrymen
have made much. He wise enough to real
ize that the acid test OF prohibition not the
absolute impossibility OF obtaining intoxicants.
Rather he looked for its greater effects the
lives OF the American people Has it produced
better health conditionso Are workingmens fami-
lies in better circumstances? Are the jails less
populous2 Is crime less common? Have
ings bank deposits growno To everyone OF these
questions he answered Yes" He predicts that
after the magnificent success attained by prohbi-
tion in the United States Great Britain long
delay in taking the step.
He also tells his readers quite frankly that
they have been bulldozed by noisy minority into
the belief that the American people are opposed to
dry laws. that the Volstead act forced upon
them when they not looking. He states en-
phatically that the same piece of legislation, if
placed before the people to vote upon today, would
pass by overwhelming majority
Englishmen who read this mans report will
get unbiased information the United States 1t
Is unfortunate that more Americans, blinded by
the smoke thrown out by this same noisy minority,
not read this article and learn the truth about
their country.
This not agent of the Anti
Saloon League. He not in sympathy with their
purpose. When he started his investigation he
expected send articles back to his paper rdicul-
ing prohibition. But he honest man and
here is what he found:
Reports from all over the country, official
and non-oficial, prove the immense decline in
drinking among men, and what appears to be
almost complete nonexistcnce of the habit among
The State authorities in the main take
emphatic line Governor Brown, of New Hamp
shire. wrote at the beginning OF this year: Prohi-
has closed all the saloons and some of the gaols
has lessencd crime and poverty, has made good
industrious citizens of loafers and drunkards
and has removed temptation from boys and
girls The Governor OF Indiana recorded the start
ling fact that with the coming OF prohibition the
gaol commitments in the State had been down
about half. The Governor of California said that
the good effects evident that thousands
OF men who voted wet would vote dry!
In Stat ~ he Dris-
and penal settlements incontestabe, while
in countless cities the records OF the sociaservce
agencies tell impressive tale. So with the
savings banks and kindred institutions. If you put
a challenging question to school teacher. any
other public servant, to the effects of prohib-
ton in the home, the answer not infrequently is,
Look at the children and judge for yourself
There be doubt at all as to the final iu:ly-
ment OF the American woman citizen-'Vote spells
Veto recent writer puts it,
During more than two years the United States
has been passing through a stage OF acute indus
trial and commercial Distress intensified BY the
explosive after-war emotion OF an immense polyglot
community. There is, think, general agreement
that the hard conditions have been greatly ghtened
and social pr-rlS diminished with the establishment
OF the dry regime"