Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-26
ONTARIO DRY HISTORY MARKED
BY CONSTANT CHANGE in LAW
Vets Frequently Down, But Never Out, in Fight Over
Liquor Question That Began in 1894 and
Continues Unabated Today.

cutting GOWN LnS pFSSCTlpllouo el,a'N
stiffening fines for violations of the
law. The drys set up a howl which
was heard from one end of the prov
ince to the other, They Immediately
visualized the good people of Ontario
swilling the "A beer and Keeling from
one side of the street to the other on
their way home from the beer hedls.
The vets, on the other hand. cavorted
in glee. They dug up old pictures OF
foaming stems Of beer and gFoated at
the prospect. The honest working
man would have his beer after all.
The government, however, knew
what Il was about. Its experts read
deeply into the subject of alcohol by
volume, proof spirit content and
weight. They studied medical au.
thorities on the amount of alcohol the
human system could take aboard With
out trying to climb lamp-poSt. They
announced at the end of long and con-
centrated thought that 20 per cent
proof irit content, as allowed Dy law,
might be raised to 20 alcohoilc con-
tent by volume without arectlng serl-
ously the sobriety of the human race.
Two and one4half per cent alcoholic
content by volume was equal 10 -
proof spirit. The act was amended to
allow the sale Of this beverage.
LtEktIk NSJ-Ah0t .
Almost Immediately. however, the
drys stopped shedding tears and went
into Mysteries of uncontrolled laugh
ter. The vets, at the same time:
halted their paeans of JOY, stopped
the wellxin from ringing and began to
sob plaintively. 1t was found that
man could not get drunk on this A.
stuff. Some of them tried 1t and
were shot down for balloons. man
might drink it and drink 1t, but ne
only sweIled and swelled and became
sadder and sadder until he burst into
tears and wept his way hone-cold
sober.
So the drys were appeased for the
time being, but the vets hailed the
appearance of the "A beer as no
modification, but rather as an Insult
TO the taste and capacity of a man
who held 1t his right to get drunk on
beer II he chose.
The government, meantime, Is In
trusted with the enforcement OF the
act as 1t stands today, and regardless
of what the government believes in,
the British characteristic of rever-
ence for the law is indicated in the
manner of its enforcement. 1t is
strict. Even the vets admit that.
The way of the transgressor is hard.
indeed, if he is caught. Many of
them, of course. are not caught AT
the same time, the government has
it's ear to the ground and q moisten-
ed finger in the air to catch the
change, IL any. in public sentiment to-
ward prohibition. This change may
be for stricter enforcement. 1t may
be for abandonment Of the present o.
T. A. Any change could be effected
overnight An election and another
chance for the people to express
their views must come within q year.
Briefly, the law at present prohib-
it's the sale. importation or transpor-
tation of intoxicating liquor. Beer
which contains a. proof spirit, how
ever, may be sold by hotels, restau-
rants, shops and clubs under permits
which are issued and which are re-
vocable by the attorney general. Per.
mits are Immediately revoked If the
law is violated. A man may brew in
his own home any amount of beer he
wants to of any strength SO long as
he does not undertake to sell it.
Hard Liquors Available.
Hard liquors, such as whisky, wines,
gin, ale, bitters and rum, with all the
claSsifications Hereunder, may be pur
chased at government dispensaries on
a prescription from a duly authorized
physician living and practicing medi.
cine in Ontario. Liquors of the same
sort may also be purchased on pre-.
scription at licensed drug stores in
quantities not exceeding one-sixth of
q quart at time.
A physician is limited to 80 prescrip-
tions month and drug stores are Wis
tied regularly by inspectors who are
as rigorous as bank examiners in see
ing that the law is not being violated
and that too much liquor is not going
to one person. Native wines are sold
subject to regulations enforced by the
attorney general through the board of
license commissioners. Native wine
is manufactured from grapes grown
and produced In Ontario. Anybody
can buy 1t from the manufacturer in
wholesale quantities only or not less
than one 5-gallon key or one dozen
bottles of pint and g. half each at
one time. No permit is required to
purchase the wine. but If purchaser
buys too much of il and arouses sus-
picion that he is selling it, he is i'm
mediately investigated. This wine, by
the way, is powerful Stuff. The pro-
hibition against the importation of
hard liquors or their sale does not ap-
ply to sacramental liquors. nor to that
needed for Industrial purposes.
The matter of how much prohibit
ton is actually brought about by the
regulations outlined above. with the
conditions resulting in Toronto, will
be discussed In a subsequent letter.
Tomorrow - Bootlegging Problems
of Dry Toronto.