Evening star., 1922-09-14
Sweden on Way to Join the United
States.

i The close result of the recent liquor
election in Sweden rather emphasizes
| the growth of the prohibition senti-
ment in the world. the editors who
have analyzed the result seem TO
think They point out that the liquor
consumption has been regulated
there for fifty years. iand that the
vote cast in favor of abolition was
at least a surprise.
The vote "is not binding upon the
parliament" the Wilkes Barre Record
points out. and the large dry vote
was the result of profound emphasis
upon the moral issue in liquor. II
a prohibition referendum were to be
taken in the United States wet
majority might be the result. but we
believe that nine out of ten vets
| would vote solely because of per-
! sonal craving for liquor-of personal
slavery The individual appetite. a
diseased condition of body and nina,
is the greatest obstacle in the way
of effective enforcement IN the e,. onitea
States The Saginaw News-courler
also would like to know Just how
much, IL any, effect was had by the
French protest, unoficialiy conveyed
1t Is understood that France caused
it to be known that If Sweden went
d
tween the two countries would he at
an end: and Sweden sells quite a
quantity of goods of one kind or
the other to France The Boston
Transcript interprets the result as
"a victory for sane and moderate
prohibitions. Sweden is determined to
proceed sanely along the road to
prohibition. If liquor is to be BAN
ished it will be done only after
referendum has made it certain that
the people will uphold and obey me
parliamentary statute prescribing
prohibition as the law of the land
The Swedish vote hints. the New
York Globe says. that prohibition is
not sign of American narrowness
and the prohibition movement arises
from a recognition of the social evil
of drunkenness. Society assumes the
right to prevent any of its members
from committing acts that Will renter
them dangerous to others or when
ere likely to make them public
charges. This argument will com
Scandinavians. who have an advanced
conception of the right of society to
re gulate the individual for the gem
eral good. as it will to Americans
The principle of social control or
alcohol is probably coming to stay.
throughout all of the highly indus
trial countries" There also is little
connection. as tie Milwaukee Sentinel
sees it. betweeh the Swedish result
and this country. although "the net
result ia a technical victory for the
vets. The surprise feature was the
women's vote. which is said to have
followed very closely that Of the men.
only a slightly larger proportion OF
women than men voting for the pro-
hibition amendment" But the prin-
ciple of the amendment was a sane
foir
insists, and ''the American method of
putting over prohibition by legisla-
tive hook or crook makes poor
showing by contrast with Sweden
appeal to a referendum in advanc-
ing statutory action on a question so
vitality affecting national habits"
The vote simply continues. the BROOK
lyn Eagle adds. 'the Gothenburg plan
Of liuour regulation with the modi-
fication which fifty years of expert
epce have suggested. Prohibitionlsts
complained that Sweden was being
transformed into a country of mod
crate drinkers. They made hot
campaign. They have been beaten.
but not so overwhelmingly as to END
their activities. The prohibition issue
is still possible in Swedish politics
The New York Tribune. discussing
the prohibitionists. says that. "as in
America they were we'll organized
and brought. every kind of pressure
to bear for complete prohibition.
The fruit Of their efforts is shown In
tho closeness+ OF tho vote. On, the
other hand, reports from Sweden in
dicate that their opponents were un-
organized. The present indications
are that the rationing. system is an
advantageous compromise" The in
terest felt in the result in this coun-
try is: due. the Adrian Telegram be-
lieves. to the fact that 'the election
was fought out largely on the basis
Of American experience, the operation
Of prohibition in this country fur
nishing most of the campaign argu-
ments for vets and drys. This will
continue to be true. so the future of
prohibition in Sweden will depend
largely on it's success in this country.
The world il in for long tussle on
this question, and there probably will
be wet and dry campaigns here and
there in various countries for many
years to come"
The light wine and beer policy of
Sweden has not ''made for sobriety
and good citizenship" the Rockford
Star says. and. assuming that those
are the objects OF good government.
the verdict upon beers and light
wines in Sweden does not encourage
the adoption of such q policy in other
countries. Whatever individuals may
think about light wines and beer in
this country, it IL q significant fact
that neither Of the two hnaior politi-
ca1 partfes7wfif father q movement 10
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