The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1925-07-31
FRIDAY, JULY 81, 1925
WHERE ARE WE In, MORALS
TODAY

From Board of Temperance, Wash
ington, d. G.
Good news first. We have turned
the corner in prohibition enforce
ment and may expect steady i'm
provement until a satisfactory con-
dition is established.
When prohibition came the gov
eminent had various clearly defined
problems to solve. There was the
problem of caring for the vast
amount of bonded liquors existing.
These liquors were contained in a
large number OF warehouses scat
tered over the country, most OF them
being inadequately guarded. Rob-
berries were frequent and there was
much evidence indicating collisions
Whiskey being transported by motor
trucks was seized in considerable
quantities by hi-jackers. APPROX
mately eight million gallons OF
bonded liquors were released under
permits for supposed legitimate
purposes during the first year OF
prohibition. There was not even
any proper paper for the printing OF
permits so that the counterfeit
ing of these documents was not
difficult.
That problem was solved. By
new legislation, bonded liquors were
concentrated in a few warehouses
where they could be adequately
guarded. transportation of liquor
by truck was stopped. A permit
system was evolved which reduced
counterfeiting to minimum
Liquors released on permit, declined
from approximately eight million
gallons to approximately one and
one-half million gallons.
The problem of home brew, which
it appeared at one time would be
considerable, solved itself because
palatable home brew could not be
made and people simply stopped
trying. 1t is true that good deal
of wine is made today in the large
cities by foreign born people, chiefly
by Italians and Greeks.
The next important problem was
that of struggled liquors. When
Congress added approximately three
hundred vessels to the Coast Guard
and signed treaties with other
nations largely increasing the powers
of the United States in dealing with
smugglers, the problem OF SNUG
Cling from sea was practically
solved and when the control OF
Customs and Coast Guard was put
in the hands of the same man who
controlled prohibition, the way was
cleared for the solving of the entire
smuggling problem. After all, the!
entire amount of liquor struggled
in the United States in recent years
has totalled only a few million |
gallons. Most of the stuff Dough
as struggled was redistilled de |
natured alcohol.
This is the present big problem
people in Philadelphia, where this
traffic centers. indicates that tho
government is trying to take eft
fective measures. 1t is doubtful if
this problem can be solved without
additional legislation. The control
of the output of denatured alcohol
must be strengthened. 1t is in
teresting to note that the production
and output of denatured alcohol il
the United States has increased
largely since prohibition, not simpl!
because legitimate industries re
quiring large quantities of alcoho
have sprung up upon the ruins OF
German Industries and to supply al
expanding demand for goods o.
many kinds.
1t is true that we have with US
the problem of moonshine, but it il
believed that the consumption OF
moonshine will in time be restricted
only to the very lowest classes O.
people. The product is almost un
believably filthy. 1t is a fact tha'
much of the moonshine produced is
prepared from mash to which stable
manure has been added to hasten
fermentation. These facts are COM
ing to light and they certainly tend
to restrict consumption. Many e.
good citizen" is drinking this pro-
duct today in the belief that he is
getting "pre-war stuff" for 1t is
easy to color it. flavor it and bottle
so that it appears to be good
liquor"
The most hopeful development
ollowing upon the routing OF the
vet forces at the last election, when
It was indicated clearly that the sup
port of nfhe vets was a political