The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1925-12-04
THE MODERATION LEAGUE RE-

PORT ON DRUNKENNESS
From Board of Temperance, Wash
ington, d. e.
The Moderation League Of New
York City, engaged in attempting
TO substitute the European policy OF
licensing the sale OF wine and beer
for the American policy OF prohi-
,bition, has issued a report alleging
that arrests for drunkenness in $50
cities of the United States have
nearly reached in number the arrests
for drunkenness before prohibition.
Is this paean of triumph
The Moderation League does not
claim that prohibition did not de-
crease drunkenness, their graph
showing precipitate decline in such
arrests just after prohibition. 1t is
now indicated that the propaganda
against the law, the sneers heard
from the theatrical stage, read in
the comic strips and obtruded upoi
the public from the hooks and cor
ners of fiction, the editorials attack
ing the law as an abridgment OF
liberty and intimating that violation
of it is service to God and man, have
had their effect, the good OF proh1
bition in curbing drunkenness b.
these strenuous effort being nearly
overcome.
The misleading character of the
report is indicated clearly by tht
fact that increase in population has
not been taken into consideration in
any case. Let the Moderation Lea
que consider its own state OF New
York. Reporting various cities for
the year 1914, it is claimed there
were 56,477 arrests and in 1924
there were 46,2O5, but when popu7
lation is taken into consideration we
nd there were 8A arrests per ten
thousand in 1914 and only St in
1924. This is for the cities and
towns of over 5000 population as
census figures are not available for
all of the cities considered. In
Massachusetts there were 97,165
arrests for drunkenness in 1914,
according to the Moderation League,
and 1882 in 1924, but taxing
population into consideration again,
there were 3S6 per ten thousand in
1914, and only 259, in 1924.
There is another significant point
Ito be considered. In New Yorl
State the arrests sank, from 81 per
ten thousand (1914) to only 70
ner ten thousand in 1920, the first
prohibition year. The number per
ten thousand increased from 70 in
the first prohibition year, 1920, to
81 in 1923, but the figure in 1924
was only S.. In MASSACHUSETTS the
number was 1856 in 1914; 1877 in the
first prohibition year; 264 in thu
fourth prohibition year, but 259
last year. The Indictments to viola
ton of the prohibition law seem tc
have reached their peak in 1928 and
now, once again the prohlbltlor
policy is besting its enemies and
pressing down the indicator.
New York City, gives us the names
of sc Directors and Advisory Board
members. We have been able to as
certain the residences OF 40 OF these
people OF the forty-nine, 81 are
New Workers. Connecticut has 81;
New Jersey l.; Massachusetts q;
while there is lone member from
baltimore, another from Philadel-
phia and another from San Fran
cisco. What does this mean Does
it mean that 1.-The New YORK Idea
is hostility to any law enacted by
the provinces" even though 1t has
the support of strong minority OF
New Workers and residents OF metro
nolitan cities of the east ? Does 1t
mean that the remainder OF the
country. which wants to enjoy the
full benefits of prohibition, must pc
subjected to propaganda, the only
possible result of which is an in
4 crease in the total OF arrests TINS
does not apply to the report OF the
Moderation League, however.
Even one who loves New YORK
as o. Henry loved it, and who takes
a pride as American in the In
dustrial and financial power OF thu
metropolitan cities, must be disturb
ed by the way in which the we
political and ecenemic interests arr
iockeying the metropolitan district
into a position indicating lack o.
sympathy with the ideals OF the
remainder OF the country. Every
thing possible should be done te
prevent line OF cleavage, tn
e~istence OF which will rankle in the
hearts of all people who believe that
Democratic decision should be ae
cepted by every section, every grouT
and every individual.
The fact that the Moderation
League is so smitten with the Euro
| Daon nolicv as ODDOSed to the