Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-06-18
The VOlstead Law and it's
Results

"hch IeulpeTdHC0 Is mentioned
one usually thinks at once of pro-
hibition. But temperance includes
many other things. One can be in
temperent by eating too much. by
playing too much, talking too much,
using narcotics and many more
things. besides drinking and smok-
ing.
AS early as the year 1917 efforts
We're made to prohibit the use of in
toXicating liquors. In Germany a
temperance order was formed in
which the members were pledged not
to drink more than seven goblets or
liquor at a meal. In 1000 another
temperance order was established.
The United States was ahead of
England in the temperance move
ment. The first order of total alb
stinence was established in Virginia
and In 1886 the American Temper
ance Union was formed. The Ma
tlonal Woman's Temperance Union is
the largest society ever made only
for women and it has been establish
ed in every state in the Union as
well as in Great Britain, Canada.
and Australia, Hawaiian Islands and
many other places.
las a result of these efforts
Maine was the first State to pass a
law prohibiting the sale of alcoholic
drinks. This law was passed in the
year 1851.
This law was so successful in
Maine that the government of the
United States considered adopting it.
In the World War it was given a try
and worked so well that as a result
after the war in the year 1919 it was
voted upon, and accepted as a law
January Is, 1920. This law forbade
anyone to sell or hold in his posses
sion any alcoholic beverages. How
ever alcohol could be sold in drug
stores at a doctors subscription.
This measure caused many bust
nesses to be ruined and many fac
tories to be shut down. Saloons
were closed and in many places soft
drink counters sprang UP in their
stead. -
"a great difference was seen on
the streets and in the homes of the
poor. No longer were there saloons
packed with drunken and fighting
men. No longer did mothers and
children fear the Homecoming of a
drunken father. Men who had before
been idlers about the streets. now
found and kept steady jobs, giving
the money they earned to their
families rather than spending it In
drinking and gambling in the
saloons.
Although many nations have laugh
ed at the United States for having
prohibition. yet We still have it and 1t
is doing good despite the fact that
there are many bootleggers and many
people are making and selling intoxi-
eating liquors secretly. The people
who buy these very poisonous drinks
are punished for disobeying the law
by i'll health and, in many cases, death.
There has been a great increase in
savings, a marked improvement in the
appearance of the school children from
the homes of the poor and a great
lessening of many petty crimes caused
by alcoholism.
Facts show that the percentage of
deaths has considerably decreased
since prohibition, and they will de-
crease still more if the people of the
United States pass enforcement laws.
1T is argued that prohibition is
running the young people Of the United
States, but If it were SO the college
presidents would surely know 1t. None
of the replies received from about go
college presidents indicate that this is
so. One of these letters stated that
the reason why this is said is because
the people are not used to this sort of
thing and therefore they notice 1t
more. He said that 1t was not to be
expected that after the two hundred
and forty or fifty thousands of people
in lawlessness, the people would i'm
mediately reform when the saloon was
outlawed. On the whole they stated
that the colleges were helped by pro-
hibition as well as other places.
II think that prohibition would be
a great deal more effective and Ameri-
can society greatly benefited If 1t was
strictly enforced. The complete re-
moval of alcohol would, I am sure,
change human nature for the better.