The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-10
18TH AMENDMENT CAUSES REMARKABLE DECREASE IN
 ARRESTS FOR DRUNKENNESS
ampes Of Effectiveness Through Enforcement There Is Most Difficult Because Of Close Proximity To Canada Liquor Supply

cry year. A new law requires such a compilation only once in evey two years. In 1917, the last year the state was wet, there were 14,S05 cases of drunkenness in the Michi- gan courts. For the year ended on June 30, 1920, this total had been cut to S,961 cases. And the total for the next two years was 21 1,061. It must be recognized. too, that in the old days of the open saloon an offender had to be creating a nuisance or disturbance, or in such a condition as to be unable to take care of him self, before an arrest would be made, whereas now intoxication means an arrest. So the figures of the wet year are for disorderly conduct and excessive drunkenness.
 Figures are dry and uninteresting bear directly on the life and health of nation-its citizens of today and the citizens of tomorrow.
 In 1917 the percentage of infant mortality in Michigan stood at S.9. In 1922 1t had fallen to 7S. Tho changes of a baby living had been raised 1.6 per cent under prohibition.
 Before 1919 there were + hospitals and homes for alcoholics. Today there cannot be found one such insti- tuition in the state. When the saloon went the institutes, cures and other establishments for the wrecks that came through the swinging doors went with them. For the occasional case that arises today the general hospital Is ample.
 Four hundred and ninety-two cases of alcoholic insanity were reported in Michigan for 1918, 556 cases for 1917. In 1921 the rise in this society destroying disease had not only been stopped, but the figure for 1917 had almost been cut in half. There were l 2S5 cases reported in 1921, and it Is predicted that when the full figures for 1922 are compiled, the total will be below 200 cases.
 The effect of these curative influ- ences of enforcement is indicated un- mistakably in such available figures as touch the material welfare of the state.
 Bank Savings Up.
 The total of savings and bank ac- counts for the wet year of l116 was stood at $260, ASA, ,S0989. The dry year of 1921 returned a total from the same sources of $4S4,700, ,43S.5I, and in 1922 the figure reached $53S,9SS, 467S1.
 No doubt 1t is true that the exact responsibility of prohibition enforce ment for these astonishing figures can never be absolutely fixed without an interview with every individual depOsitor. But the fact remains ELS a fact that in 1922, and including period of depression and unemploy- ment savings and bank accounts were double those of 1917, the last wet year. A great number of people had wider margin between income and personal and family eXpendi- lures. My own belief, and it is backed up by investigators who have made a special study of this phase of prohibition, is that the money that formerly went for alcoholic bever- age of high and low voltage made up large proportion of this margin.
 The Michigan figures on insur- anae all point in the same direction. Insurance in force throughout the the wet year of 1918 to S1,3SS, ,907,- 171.25 in 1921 and will be found to be even higher for 1922.
 And there was enough of the mar gin left to keep additional thousands of youngsters in school. School at tendance, according to reports of the superintendent Of public instruction, has shown an increase over the wet years that Is not to be accounted for by increase In population.
 Conditions Among WOrkingmen.
 The state welfare department has reported greatly improved home con- dltions. The report of the commits sioner of labor shows that general satisfaction Is expressed by employ CTS, and that they report greater eff ficiency and fewer accidents. The storekeepers declare that bills were ent, and they credit this to the pro-