The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1922-01-05
DRY LAW ENFORCED.
|. IS THE ASSERTION

Prohibition Is excellently enforc-
ed in nine-tenths of the country's
area and in the remainder suffic-
;ently well enforced to be a very
great Improvement over the license
system. :.
This is the result of an investi-
cation covering several months and
through official channels, and d.
rect inquiry as announced back IN
Chicago recently by DIR. Dets Pick
EFT, research secretary Of the board
of prohibition, temperance and pub
nc morals, of the Methodist Epis-
copal church. The organization OF
the church was used as one OF the
agencies of information, which was
obtained from 10000 heads OF
churches and with numerous lead
ers of the 100000 lay adherents
of the church. The statement in
cludes no figures not personally
verified, DIR. Pickett states.
The investigation showed that
"there has been an enormous de-
crease in the consumption of liq-
uor, a decrease not less than eighty
and possibly more than ninety pei
cent" according to Pickett. This
has resulted in a very large de.
crease in the number of arrests
for drunkennessV nd in a very con.
siderable increase in the purchas.
ing power of the poor and Of the
skilled and unskilled laborers, says
the report. In San Francisco, pro-
hibition decreased arrests fol
drunkenness in its first year from
1884 to 1914. In Los Angeles
from 1880 to 1889. In Boston
it went from 1852 to 16,4S7. Ir
Baltimore in the last wet October
there were 1,165 arrests for drunk
enness and the first dry October
119. We have similar report.
from the heads of police of Wash
ington, st. Paul, st. Louis, Calves
ton, Lincoln and other cities.
s'The fact Of increased purchas
ing power is attested by sigpet
statements Of the secretaries Of
chambers of commerce, real estate
dealers, furniture dealers and mer
chants Of many kinds.
"There has also been a larg,
decrease in petty crime. In Boston
prohibition brought about a de
crease in the number Of cases Of
assault from 2127 to 1878 in on,
year. In St. Louis petit larcen,
declined from 6167 to 3503.
"There has also been q decrease
in more serious crime in many cit
les. Wet propagandists have spok
en- much Of a crime wave in New
York City. have it on the au
thority Of the commissioner Of pc
lice Of the city that in 1918 Their,
were 11,611 burglaries and in 1921
only $3.50. He makes similar state
ments as to the commission O.
crime Of a serious nature on othe
charges.
even better results have beef
obtained in rural and small tow
districts.
"There has been a startling de
crease in poverty and financia
distress. The hospitals have bee
relieved. In Philadelphia in 81
months Of the last wet year Their
were 1884 cases Of alcoholism i
general hospitals and in the sam
months Of the next year, 276. Sim
liar reports have been receive
from other cities.
at il frequently stated by alec
hol propagandists that there Is i
the United States enormous illici
distillation, that nearly every fam
lily makes alcohol. Obviously, thi
is simply the expression Of an opin
ion. In America only a few famil
les, Of German extraction, kno,
how to make palatable beer. Wits
key, illicitly produced, is SO nearl
non-palatable that only habitual al
coholics can consume it. Privat
distillation and brewing, while
worries the prohibition officers b
necessitating many arrests, is al
insignificant factor.
Prohibition is a relative sue
cess now and is on the road to
complete success"