Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1926-04-09
United States
District Atty
On Prohibition
Enormous Sums Spent Fail to
Accomplish Result Which
Was Promised

Washington, d. C.-Following are
extracts from recent article which
appeared in "Face the Facts" jour
nal issued by the Joint Legislative
Committee for the Modification of
'the Volstead Act by the American
Federation of Labor, the Constitu-
tional Liberty League and other or
ganizations.
The word "prohibition," and such
expressions as claw Enforcement"
have become mere masks of deceit
and hypocrisy. There is no prohibi-
tion in the United States and every
body knows it. All men, women and
children who want drink get it, and
it is offered to many who do not want
it.
Now, if we had abstinence, or temp
erance, and none Of the manifold
greater evils of prohibition, one who
counted the cost would be bad cit
izen. But when we have neither
temperance, nor abstinence, but this
intolerable thing with its terrifying
evils, then one is fool who does not
consider the price the taxpayer is
paying. Our motto today might we'll
be- millions for honest temperance,
but not one cent for hypocrisy"
Mr.. Buckner, United States Dis
trict Attorney of New York, tells US
that the drys fear to face the ques-
ton of the cost of actual enforcement
lest the people should learn that they
are paying too dearly for their whis-
tie.
First, we must start off with the
loss of revenue. Congressman Griff-
in recently pointed out that the loss
r. ho Tx,+o 81
for 1924 amounted to S455, ,465, ,146.10.
He showed that direct appropriations
for this present year, including the
extra cost of the Coast Guard, were
/ $23,354, 4,489.
In this connection, we should re-
member that the first appropriation
was only $3,375,O0 So the cost of
this even silly pretense of prohibition
has increased sevenfold in seven
years.
Heretofore, it has been difficult to
estimate what actual enforcement
would cost. Senator King, a few
months ago, estimated that the great
er part of the time of 250,000 public
officials of all kinds, with salaries of
5OO,OOO,OO0 year, is frittered away
in an attempt to enforce prohibition
without even so much as making any
progress.
Prohibition violates every principle
and tradition of justice. 1t promotes
murder. 1t breeds crime. 1t confis-
Gates property without due process
of law. 1t denies the right of trial
by jury. 1t encourages dishonesty.
1t enacts a lie into the solemn stat
utes of the United States.
1t undermines the peace and seeur-
ity of communities and neighborhoods
by setting one neighbor to spy upon
another. 1t drags citizens out of
their home communities to try them
before prejudiced tribunals to rail-
road them to the penitentiary. It in
vades the homes of citizens without
warrants of law. 1t makes subjects
out of citizens. 1t disturbs our do
mestic peace. 1t involves US in quar-
rels with friendly nations. 1t en-
riches its violator and impoverishes
those obedient to it. 1t turns loose
upon the country a great army of
laWless men and women who mur-
der, steal and bribe. 1t breeds con-
tempt for law and government. 1t is
a national scourage-the opposite of
truth, fairness, honesty, the vindica-
tion of right and the assignment of
HleIiIeQ reward ana punishment.
The Liberty Magazine recently ask
ed 80 trained newspaper men for un-
biased reports on the practical oper-
alton of the prohibition law in their
communities. 1t emphasized the fact
that it wanted the exact truth, free
from prejudiced statements either by
vets or drys.
Summing up these reports, Liberty
says:
"They are practically unanimous
in stating that bootlegging is prevail
ent; that disrespect for the Volstead
law has caused disrespect for other
laws; that murder has become a com
mon incident in the adventurous game
of rum running; that the younger
generation is drinking more than
ever; that drunkenness is increasing;
that prohibition is steadily losing
ground"