Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-09-20
PROF, FISHER ON PROHIBITION

The public may read a compre-
hensive statement of the opinion OF
Irving Fisher. Professor Of Econ
omics at Yale. holds respecting pro-
hibition. He has written book, pub
1ished by The MACMILLAN Company,
entitled prohibition at It's Worst
and therein sets forth his con-
illusions.
He declares constitutional pro-
hibition came on the country some
what prematurely. Had there been
wartime prohibition we would have
been prepared for this. The brewers
fought the wartime law and so In
directly brought about their ultimate
downfall. He says: 1T was an In
direct result Of this second defeat OF
wartime prohibition that constitu-
tional prohibition came about.
AS a result Of this he concludes
prohibition came too soon. Senators
who had displeased dry constituents
in their attitude toward wartime
prohibition. made haste on constitu-
tional prohibition to get in out Of the
wet as 1t were. 1T was easy Tor
wet Senators to let this act pass, on
the theory that it did not really en-
act prohibition. but merely sub
naitted it to the States"
Prof. Fisher makes it clear, what
ever may be thought OF the timen-
ness of constitutional prohibition,
that latter an examination Of all the
data, I have estimated that the dow
of alcohol down human threats IN the
United States is at present certainly
less than Is per cent. probably less
than 10 per cent, and possibly less
than per cent Of the pre-prohibi-
ton consumption"
With regard to facing the facts
he concludes:
There seem to me to be nine great
facts, or groups Of facts. to face.
These constitute the outline of this
book
() The present situation Of i'm
perfect enforcement is intolerable.
CD Conditions are not, however,
as bad as commonly represented.
90 Prohibition has accomplished
much good hygienically. economic
ally, and socially.
60 The personal liberty" argu-
ment is largely illusory.
90 We cannot accomplish what
the opponents of prohibition really
want by amending the volstead Act,
without thereby violating the Eigh-
teenth Amendment.
co To repeal the Eighteenth
Amendment is out of the question.
CD To nullify it would mean dis
respect for law of the most democrat
izing kind.
go Therefore the only practicable
solution is to enforce the law.
90 Enforcement is practical
possibility"
He takes up these points and finds
the public has received an exag-
gerated impression Of alleged fall
ure. We have not more drunkenness
and disorder. 1t requires but a
tenth as much.A bootleg liquor to
make a person intoxicated.
He criticizes the minor exhibits
presented at Washington by the Mod
Grafton League, and makes an ex-
tended analysis of the statistics of
mortality and disease caused by
alcoholism, alleging substantial gains
in health and longevity since the adj
vent OF prohibition. On the economic
side, he repeats the estimate Of six
billion dollars annual gain from pro-
hibition in the United States-"with-
out counting any savings in the cost
Of jails, almshouses, asylums. ETC.;
or any economic savings from reduc-
Ing the death rate" He adds: II
prohibition enforcement cost US even
one billion dollars year. 1t would be
well worth while purely as an econ
omic investment"
He considers the New York refer
endum fundamentally ins!ncere.
THE straightforward honest way
would be to propose repeating the
Eighteenth Amendment. 1t is just
because they know this cannot be
done that the proponents of a
referendum want to make faces at
the Constitution for propaganda pur-
poses only.
TN short, the truth Is these refer
enda are % multiplying. (2) futile,
60 disrespectful of the Constitution,
"a unrepresentative. and 60 in
sincere"