Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-07-18

quorS in his own home, even though
illegally transported or acquired. If
some practical and intelligent way
could be found of letting the man
who wants it in his home get it
there without involving a violation
of the law, and without, opening a
floodgate to abuses, that way should
be opened; and the finding of such
a way should not be beyond the wis
dom of thoughtful men.
Beer and Wines
'Be that as it may, I believe it is
better that there should be an occa-
sional violation of the lazy in getting
the liquor, than that so many Of
our people should remain in con-
slant state Of crime through the
keeping Of liquor in their homes,
as they do, with a knowledge OF
their guilt constantly haunting them
and shaping their inner-most atti-
tude toward the law.
GAS to beer and Night wines, we
are on no ground that to my mind
seems fairly debatable; though per-
sonally I favor. their manufacturing
distribution and use under careful
ly guarded restrictions. I would use
them as means of educating our
people away from the use of and
desire of spirituous liquors. How.
ever, I realize that in some states
public opinion would support this,
and mothers it would not. Perhaps
the true solution IS that congress
should remove the federal prohibi-
ton against beer and light wines
and let each state, under the con.
current clause OF the eighteenth
amendment, deal with this subject
as a local question.
These are some of the concrete
things which MY mind runs to. AS
a more abstract but more nearly
complete solution, 1 propose this
start with the proposition that we
will never go back to the private
sale of liquors in saloons; that the
bar rooms doom has been sealed for
ever; that we will restrict the pos
session and use of liquors to every
reasonable extent that public opin-
ion, true heartfelt sentiment, will
respect ard support by obedience as
we'll as by precept.
Public Opinion Should Guide
"That this shall be the limit, and
that we will cut out all those ex-
IRENE provisions that bring about
widespread violation and gener.,.,
disrespect. Let public opinion, ag~
greSaced from private conduct, es-
pecially of our best people, be the
guide and the test.
This rule I would apply. not
only to the prohibition law but to
all laws. If we had a law against
murder which had the effect of in.
creasing instead of diminishing the
number of homicides or other grave
otfenses l would say amend it and
If this did not cure the evil, repeal
1t. Judge every law, as we should
judge every man, by it's works, not
by what it processes to be.
The surprising volume of COM
mI;'lications which have flowed in
upol' me from the very best people
OIL this cOuntry-frOm judges" law
y9cs bankers, teachers, college presi.
dents. physicians, business men.
farmers, wives and mothers, from
every walk in life-in commentator
OF the views l expressed in my adj
dress, convince me that there is
a widespread desire on the part of
our pople that there should be some
notifications of this law. They
testify with great unanimity to the
evils ensuing under the present law,
ana the attitude of the public to-
W. rd it. Perhaps the most towering
appeal is from mothers who say that
even among young boys and girls
the use Of liquor is becoming ha-
bituaI-a thing that was rare even
in the lOd barrOom days.
81 disagree with those who think
that more liquor is consumed now
than before the passage of the pres
emf laws, but | do think that what
is being consumed is doing much
greater harm than was done before.
eve must do something, we who
arc interested in the maintenance Of
good morals, should dictate the modi-
flea lions that are to be made in the
law. If good people are driven from
this. task by the fanatical attacks
OF those whose emotions exceed their
wisdom, the task will fall to those
who will deal with the subject with
more ruthless hands"
"Sincerely yours,
"ARTHUR G. POWELL"