The Washington herald., 1922-10-21
World Wide Prohibition
Text of Mr.. Bryan's Talk
Commoner Proposes One Hundred Mile Limit
From Shore Instead of Three,
As at Present.

led multitud.s into temptation from
time immemorial.
For love Of money many have
been willing to steal. even when
not under t.e influence Of liquor.
For love Of money some have
been willing TO kill.
For love Of money q few have
been falls. to their country.
For love Of money one betrayed
the Savior.
The man who patronises the
bootlegg.r has. therefore. less ex-
cuse than the bootlegser himself
appetite leads him to be Indifferent
to his country's laws.
Forces Back OF Prohibition.
Prohibition here In America was
the result OF many forces, scientific.
economic and moral
Science demonstrated that tn.
moderate use OF alcohol was inJu-
rious and now physicians are dis
carding It as a medicin..
Business men found that they
could not entrust important WORK
to men who would muddle their
brains with liquor. Three words.
But he drinks," would nullify any
letter of recommendation upon
which they appeared.
But the greatest force back of
prohibition was an awakened con-
science.
>t.n began to realize that q vote
ft< license made them partners with
the saloonkeepers-asm much so ss II
they furnished the monsy to run
the saloon or made the liquor sold.
A saloon cannM exist now with
be grantsd without the approval OF
assumes responsibility for what
ever the saioonkeeper does.
This fact was the final argument
that arrayed the churches against
the saloon.
The abolition OF the liquor traf-
nc was the greatest moral victory
ever won at the polls since man be-
gan to vote. and there will be no
turning back.
Prchibftion's saiutary Results.
Enforcement is improving. Al
though the Federal prohibition law
has been on the statute books but
three years, more progress is being
made in its enforcement than in the
enforcement OF other laws.
Take the law against stealing.
for instance: more than six thous-
and automobiles were stolen in New
York City last year and less than
half of them were found. The sta
tistics in forty-eight states will
show an enormous number Of auto
mobiles stolen and a large percent
age ars never found
Does anyone propose to repeal the
law against stealing automobiles be-
cause II is often violated and the
criminals sometimes escape!
According to Prohibition Commits
sioner Haynes. more than twelve
millions OF Americans have quit
drinking since prohibition went into
effect. Tine number OF arrests for
drunkenness has fallen of nearly
two-thirds, while the decrease IN
the amount spent for liquor is about
two billions a year.
when before has such Q sslutary
change been wrought by law IN SO
short a time?
So far as statistics can be gath
cred. the per capita consumption OF
intoxicants has fallen from twenty
three gallons per capita TO on.-half
gallon-a decrease Of more than
81 per cent. We have no statistics
for Illicit sales. but they are small
in comparison with former sales.
They used to carry liquor In car
load lots. distribute IL by drays and
exhibit IT on shelves at the princi-
pal street corners: now II is carried
In valises and distributed by boot
legeers who lurk IN the darkness.
Those who are slaves 20 appetite
still try to hnd fire water" but
liquor is no longer set before the
young by men engaged In . business
legitimatissd by law.
Problems That VIII he Solved.
The United States 10 the frst great
nation TO attempt prohibition. and
the victory was secured after a
struggle OF nearly nifty years, dur
ing which the sentiment gradually
grew until thirty three States abol-
ishsd the saloon by independent act
Then two-thirds of both Houses
Of Congress- submitted the nation al
amendment and forty-six out OF the
forty-eight States ratified IL.
Three Congresses in succession
have been dry by q more than two
thtrda yofe TIL. drsf suhr,iffe ed