Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-21
Blow at Dry Law in Ontario
ROuses Keen Interest i'm u. S

"Wets will regard the result as a
triumph, drys will say that Ontario is
still thoroughly opposed to the old
traffic in liquor. and others will de-
scribe 1t in the hopeful phrase, a step
toward true temperance Thus the
Detroit News summarizes American
views of the recent vote by which the
Canadian province upset it's prohibit
ton of hard liquor and turned to Pre-
mier Ferguson'S government diSpen
sary program.
1.-THE motive for most liquor law in
our time has been an effort to evolve
a scheme which will insure real and
universal temperance" continues the
Detroit paper. ''This ideal has never
been achieved, and where public senti
ment may be translated readily into
law, the law has never been static
1t changes as the abuses and weak
nesseS of current systems are re!
vealed." The News adds that "our ma
tional prohibition law is the least fiex
ible ever enacted by a popularity gov
erned people"
X II u X
1.-THE result in Ontario is of interest
in this country" says the Albany Eve
ming News, las showing at least the
sentiment of voters in a province that
has had prohibition and has not found
it satisfactory" Asserting that Onta-
rio els essentially dry, that 1t believes
in real temperance" the Roanoke
World. News suggests that "it may be
Ontario is leading the way to real
temperance" while the Baltimore Sun
holds that "this election should give
grave pause to fair and reasonable
men among the dry forces every
where" The st. Louis dispatch
remarks that to-day thoughtful citi'
zens everywhere. in the quiet little
towns as we'll as in the tumultuous
cities. are wondering what we are 60
ing to do about it,"
The enforcement of the Ontario law
according to the Birmingham News
has followed fairly closely along the
lines Of the Volstead law in this coun
try" and the News continues, Pre-
mier Ferguson has a plan for govern
ment dispensaries, limiting amount
any person may buy, sales only at Ger
tain hours Of the day, and record OF
sales" That paper finds "a slight anC
limited move in the same direction ir
! the United States in the proposition
to allow a certain amount Of medicina
liquor to be distilled, the distillatior
and distribution to be under the super
vision of the United States Treasury
Department" The Canton Daily
News also declares that with the
liquor question still paramount on thi:
| side of the border, advocates Of modi
| fication and regulation are certain tt
find In the results in Canada much tt
support their argument"
Referring to the constitutional pro
visions in the United States, the Hart
ford Times suggests that there ever
a majority sentiment may beat 1t!
head against the wall in vain, while G
i minority which may not represent one
quarter of the population Is able t.
| maintain a situation that breeds dis
| satisfaction, unrest, corruption and
| lawbreaking and leads to murder and
all the other crimes on the calendar "
It is pointed out, on the other hand
by the Spokane Spokesman Review
| that Ontario in law and fact nov
legalizes the traffic in wines and beer
and finds itself In the very plight thai
the Volstead law modificationists ir
| the United States are urging. They
want Congress. in violation Of the Con
| stitution," adds the s.pokesman-Re
view, ''to legalize the tlaffic In wines
and beer They are proposing thai