Evening star., 1923-09-17
CANADA HAS OWN
LIQUOR PROBLEMS
Dry Provinces Grow Jealous
of Wealth Pouring to
Wet Neighbors.
BY EDWARD PRICE BELL.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
OTTAWA, Ont, September lin
Quiries at the Canadian ministry Of
Justice warrant the statement that
the Dominion government will do all
in it's power to eliminate participa-
ton from this sid Of the border in
violations. Of the prohibition law of
the United States, Ideas like the fol-
flowing are found IN the minds of the
Canadian Judiciary:
I. That all civilized states are in
terested in the sanctity of law and
morally bound to aid one another so
far. as possible in maintaining public
respect for IL
., That. nevertheless every ma
Ftion, in. the last resort, must enforce
its own laws, and that the United
of doing this as is any couDtey.
3. That Canada, with the, best will
in the world, cannot be expected to
violate its own laws--that is, abridge
the, legal rights OF it's own citizens
In order TO uphold American laws.
f. That Legislators should move
cautiously when considering proposed
laws likely TO arouse the hostility
and provoke the disobedience of mil
lions Of persons of proved law-abid-
ing predisposition.
Cause OF Evils.
Apropos of the last point, it is
argued that lawmakers, certainly not
less and perhaps more than law OBJ
servers, are responsible for the evils
that flow from anenforceable. laws.
This observation is made by re-
plying that the particular legislation
in questionable American prohibition
'law-is unenforceable. Whether 1t is
enforceable or not they leave TO the
.arbitrament Of events.
How, difficult it is to enforce such
a law they know from experience at
horne. As write I am sitting in
dry" Ottawa. In five minutes time
Il can walk across. the Ottawa river
into. Huh and buy bonded liquor. or
Citizens Of Ottawa habitualfy give
dinners and funcheons over the river.
because champagnes, WHISTLES and
liquors may be legally served there.
France in Canada" containing one
third OF all the people Of the
Dominion, elfngs to its liberty re-
specting alcohol and is amassing
great wealth from it. This wealth
lit is putting into education and roads
and other public improvements.
Alcohol is making millions for Que
bee not only as. a result of it's own
sale, but because it attracts to cities
like Montreal crowds Of visitors, who
pour, out their money IN hotels. res
taurantS, theaterS and shops. Large
as are it's hotels--it has a new one
that ranks among the biggest In the
world--roomS are at a. premium and
the visitor who fails to make reser-
vatfons in advance Is almost certain
to be ineonvenienced.
Two Provinces Wet.
Two other Canadian provinces
British Columbia and A@nitoba-are
wet. Manitoba Just recently having
changed from dry to wet. Like Que,
bee, these provinces aer making great
material gains over their sister au-
, tonemies Of the confederation.
II is doubted by many that the dry
provinces will continue indefinitely to
suffer from this disadvantage. Al
ready the cities OF provinces Ike On
against the rural districts that force
Prohibition upon them. At the time
of confederation the provinces sur
rendered certain rights in return for
dominion subsidies.
Quebec does not need her subsidy
new. She probably with not draw It.,
but leave Ii to accumulate and earn
interest, and one day will have a
large amount to add still further co
her wealth and to the educational and
material heoDs Of her people. These
conditions not only breed interpro-
Eyineial jealoasfes. but arouse bitter
ness between town and country and
involve violations of law similar TO
those with which the bulk Of Amer
leans are familiar. So IL will be seen
than those between herself and her
big neighbor to. the souths and her
Estatesmen scarcely expect Washing
| ton IN this perplexing matter to de-
mand miracles OF Ottawa. -
. tocpyright. le23.l