The Washington herald., 1922-09-01
1t Seems to Me

Even the opponents Of the dry
evil invariably preface their re-
marks by saying: of course,
don't want the saloon back" The
Old Soak of Don Marquis IL almost
the only person now alive who has
a good word for the vanished in
stitution.
Many of its aspects were evil.
That cannot be denied. We, too,
must swell the chorus and say: "Of
course. we don't want the saloon
back" Yet. come to think of II.
We should like something very much
like 1t.
The need for q substitute is acute.
Now that the saloon il gone there
Is practically nothing to take the
edge or the home. The dry ma
RAIDERS have always based their
gospel on the theory that II 1t were
possible to legislate everybody into
his home and keep him there, hap
piness would be achieved. We don't
believe II.
A home ought to be a place to
which one may. upon occasion, re-
turn. In fact, no one should even
attempt a home unless he Is able
to take 1t or let 1t alone. In tho
old days there was certain
warmth and graciousness about 60
Ing home. 1t represented a choice.
A man came home because he
wanted to. Even though he said
nothing, his mere presence at any
hour before midnight was eloquent
testimony of love and devotion. 1t
showed that he valued the simple
comforts and the pleasant compan-
ionship of the family circle more
than the splendors of the place
around the corner.
Coming home gave him q glow of
righteousness. One could almost
near his ego purr. Whatever his
shortcomings and failures in life.
he could buoy himself up with the
thought that he was not running
last. He had been able to distance
the devil.
This state of affairs IL reported
accurately enough by Edward Ais
worth Ross in that portion of THE
Social Trend" which he has devoted
to a defense of prohibition. Writ
ing Of the growth of the saloon in
America. he says:
Thereupon began a silent but do.
termined duel between the American
wife seeking to retain the COM
partnership OF her mate and have
his cooperation in rearing their
children. and the keeper of the male
resort on the lookout for profitable
patrons. The wife lured her hus-
band. and later her sons, with the
comforts and charms of home-russ
and curtains. the easy chair, the
trimmed lamp. games. books, music
and the society OF good women.
The saloonkeeper lured with
bright lights. the shining bar. the
brass rail. glistening glass, huge
mirrors. sensual paintings, privacy
for a quiet game and (sometimesl
the society of loose women. The
duel went on with varying for
tunes.
Here and there the sketch Of con-
ditions offered by the professor
needs little retouching. We doubt
IL very many patrons went to the
saloon Just to look at the pictures.
Nor can we quite accept privacy
for quiet game" II Prof. Ross
were to be cross-questioned closely
enough we believe he could be made
to confess that he never played
cards in q saloon.
Privacy indeed! There were Az
ways fifteen kibitzers for every ac-
tual player. Moreover, Prof. Ross
does we'll to quote quiet" Poker
remained q genial, carefree game
while It was In the saloon. Now
that 1t has been driven into the
homo. the people play just for profit
and Invariably drop with small
pairs. But this is another prob
lem and perhaps q lesser one.
with the few exceptions noted,
Prof. Ross Is justified in his con-
ception of conditions under the old
regime. II was q duel between the
home and the saloon. But curionsly
enough. Prof Ross seems utterly
blind to the idyflic quality of this
arrangement. He does not seem to
realize that competition Is the life
OF a good many more things than
trade.
Now happily" he writes, PROFIT
nition comes to the assistance of
this understanding woman and
opens to her the means to build a
nome which will give her and her
daughters an opportunity to exert
refining influence upon the
coarser natures Of her menfolk."
This may be good sociology, but
IT Is certainly bad sportsmanship.
We nnd the professor rejoicing be-
cause a rousing even-money duel
has degenerated into q fixed fight.
Certainly Ross pays no very high
compliment to good women" and
games when he suggests that they
could hardly have prevailed without
the benent of an act of Congress.
And there II q larger Implication
In the argument of Ross. He has
pictured the enrichment Of the home
with rugs and curtains. the easy
chair. the trimmed lamp" and the
rest rs definitely part Of a cam
paign to .counteract the lure of
"glistening glass" huge mirrors"
and loose women"
Is II not fair to assume that the
day the volstead act went into ef-
feet the startled home maker re-
turned to ind his wife In the act
of taking down the curtains and re-
turning the rugs.
What's this?" he asks
ct don't mead ,eno nnv more r.