Evening star., 1925-01-16
DRY LAW |SARGUED
ON FIFTH BIRTHDAY
Vets and Opponents Offer
Disputing Claims on Re-
suits of Legislation.

On the fifth birthday of nationa |
prohibition today. both wet and dry
organizations issued statements wide
Iy varying as to the results brought
about by the VOlstead act while Pro-
hibition Commissioner Haynes re-
viewed the accomplishments" of the
government, and declared for many
advances, but not retreat"
Taking all things into considera
ton, Mr. Haynes said in his state
ment, 4 believe the facts warrant a
1alr degree of satisfaction with the
hve-year accomplishments as whole
Many problems have been presented
ana continue to present themselves
daily in different aspects of the work.
put just as each turn of the road has
revealed some new obstacle so has u
meant the leaving behind of many
solNed problems which at first glance
seemed tnsupcrahle In other words
tne problems of today are but Incl
uehts In the larger progress of the
work, and in the years to come tho
dchieFements Will overshadow what
ever obstacles may have arisen"
Closing Avenues of supply.
Commissioner Haynes said the "bir
Job" of the Federal Government had
fpeen to close up all roads leading to
the enemy S supply base, and all our
guns have been trained upon those
roads. The road to the bonded ware
mouse had been "cut off, to the ene-
my 1t was said, and the SMUGGLING
problem had been taken over by the
Coast Guard, which was said to be
1ast getting it under control through
largely augmented and proper faciIi-
ties The situation concerning the
Illicit manipulation of denatured alco-
HaNneS 'hat 4.
oelhg estimated that perhaps less
than ~ per cent of the entire pro-
duction is involved in Illicit trans
actions, much of which is later seized
and destroyed"
Other outstanding accomplish
mentS' in enforcement, Commissioner
Haynes said, We're the regulation of
lmportations of wine and exporta-
tions of whisky, which have been re-
duced to the minimum; institution
and carrying out of an extensive pro-
gram for taking the problems and re-
sponsibility for enforcement to the
people, in the arousing of public in
terest in obedience to and observance
of all laws; bringing the various
peace officers into action under the
concurrent power section of the
eighteenth amendment and the in
itiating of campaign of moral
SuaSlon among citizen groups, such
as hotel arrangements, clubs, frater-
nittes, etc, for securing a more gem
eral observance of law"
Asks Cftizens' Support
"The. greatest aid which can be
rendered prohibition enforcement
, during the coming year." the COM
missioner continued. "is that each
citizen recognize his personal duty,
not SO much in the enforcement
phase, but in the observance phase"
Wayne B. Wheeler, general counsel
of the Anti-Saloon League. prophesied
that today would mark the dawn of
new era of freedom and prosperity"
and be "one of the most memorable
days in American history"
w. H. Stayton, head of the Asso-
citation Against the Prohibition
Amendment on the other hand, as
serted that five years of experience
with national prohibition affords
small ground for rejoicing by its
advocates"
Saying liquor outlaws" are paying
fines and penalties almost equal to
enforcement costs. Wheeler predicted
that these receipts would be doubled
If all courts followed the example of
those now doing their duty"
Expects More Propaganda.
The United States, he said. has
travelled so far and so fast on the
water-wagon" that the odd time beer
saloon is less than a memory" and
we are startled if a few young peo-
pie drink today" In another five
years, he added, 1t will be thought
incredible that any except the de-
iiberately criminal could ever have
patronized Il liquor outlaw"
As d foil to the highly imagina-
tive output" of prohibition claims.
Stayton cited the mounting list" of
dry law arrests, the increase in
drinking and drunkenness among the
youth of the land and a universal
growing disrespect for all law" de-
velopment of universal bootleggery''
and the enormous total of sudden
deaths and of total blindness pro-
duced by the drinking of poisonous
liquor"
In addition, he asserted, "a total of
$5,OOO,OO0. 600 for the celebrated period"
has been lost in Federal, State. county
and municipal revenues, while en-
torcement has cost about $40, ,ooO. 600
a year
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