The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1922-12-15

the progress of Prohibition as a gov
ernmental policy? How long would it
| be before such pressure would affect
America? If the liquor forces OF the
nations of the earth, united and or
gained, can succeed in overriding the
will of the people in any country, small
or great, self determination in every
country is jeopardized. The violation
of the rights of any nation threatens
orderly government in every nation.
The Program and Methods of the
World Liquor Traffic
A considerable portion of the liquor
traffic which formerly carried on oper-
atoms in America has been trans
planted in other countries. where new
ertheless it is controlled and directed
by what remains of the organized liq-
TOR interests within America.
Uniting for Common Defense
American Prohibition, moreover, had
the effect OF vastly curtailing the wine
export trade of France, Spain, Por-
tugal, Italy and Austria. AS re-
suit, the great wine and vineyard in
terests of those countries have them
selves not only united for common
defence but have also joined in CO.
operation with outlaWed American liq-
uor interests.
The ale and stout and whisky indus
tries of Great Britain, moreover have
become thoroughly alarmed at the agi-
tation OF the Prohibition question in
the British Isles and have accordingly
sought alliance with what remains OF
the American liquor traffic, together
with the national liquor organizations
of other countries interested for like
reasons. The beer interests OF Ger
many, Austria and the Balkan States,
as we'll as the vodka interests of old
Russia are establishing a relationship
of cooperation with similar interests
of other countries.
The object of the forces back of this
organized international activity in be-
half of the world liquor traffic is two
fold. 1t is intended, first, to prevent
the spread of Prohibition throughout
the world, and second, to secure the
notification and finally the repeal of
Prohibition in America and wherever
else the policy has been adopted. At
the close of a secret convention of the
International League Against Prohibi-
ton, held at Brussels, Belgium, i'll Oc-
tober, 1922, the international press
carried the interesting and significant
information that the wine interests of
Europe with headquarters at Paris, had
pledged millions to carry on merci-
less campaign against Prohibition in
America.
Misrepresentation, the Hope of the
Liquor Traffic
A favorite weapon of the liquor
traffic is that of gross misrepresenta-
ton of conditions under Prohibition.
Absolutely false and unfounded state
ments with regard to the failure of
Prohibition in America, which have
made their way through international
news agencies to practically every
country in the world, are not only in
dicative of the methods which the in
ternational liquor traffic is already US
ing in its campaign, but they also sug-
gest something of what the Prohibit
ton forces in every country may ex-
pect as an important phase of the con-
flict ahead, In this respect the liquor
interests, internationally organized,
are running true to form, since they
are using precisely the same methods
as those employed by the liquor inter-
ests of America for twenty-five years
prior to the adoption of national Pro-
hibtion.
The Generation of Anti-American
Propaganda
The chief weapon which is being
used by the organized world liquor
traffic in countries outside of America
is that which aims at the generation of
anti-American feeling. This is the
natural method for the world liquor
traffic to employ. 1t is in keeping with
the record of that traffic in all coun-
tries during the past century A traffic
which itself has no respect for the laws
of God or man, can hardly be expected
to manifest sincere love for any gov
eminent. Such traffic knows no ap-
peal but the appeal to ignorance and
prejudice.
Lady Aston of the English Parlia-
ment, upon leaving American shores
after brief visit in her native land,
in 1922, made the significant declara-
ton that the principal anti-American
feeling in England had been created
by the owners and promoters of the
English liquor traffic who hoped by
anti-American propaganda to postpone
the day of Prohibition in Great Britain.
BY generating hatred for America,
the international liquor interests nat
urally hope to generate a hatred of
American institutions and American
governmental policies which in both
cases involves the prohibition of the
liquor traffic. Sowing hatred for
America, according to their calcula-
tons, will naturally make the road to
Prohibition in other countries more
difficult and thus longer protect them
and their interests from the rising tide
of world Prohibition.
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