Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-09

| cided the question of modifying the
prohibition amendment-an un-Amer-
lean an Democratic measure which
would only have existed during war
time-and l personally am heartily for
it's repeal.
"As Commissioner Of Public Welfare
and for four years agent in Cook
| County, l have been in touch with
public health, housing, policing, UNI
employment, jails. psychopathic hos
pitfalls. pensioned mothers and way
ward youth, and in my opinion condi'
tons are worse now than before the
dry law was enacted"
This Is how Anna l.. Smith. head Of
Chicago's public welfare department,
feels about it. She points to petition
signed with 100000 names from the
city of Chicago alone, which was pre-
scented at the senatorial election last
Fall, to show that she IS not alone in
her feeling that an embargo on all in
toXicants is a mistaken way to make
people TEMPERATE.
Yet no woman" she continues, ain
all this land is more opposed to the
saloon than 1. 1t was the saloon that
took the workingman money and
kept him from his family. But the
passing OF the saloon neither eradi-
Gates his desire nor takes away his
right to the moderate use of liquor.
IF prohibition prohibited, l would
be for it. If stopping the poor mans
beer supply caused him to abstain
from drink. I would be heart and soul
in favor. But it does not Many
welfare workers say it does and quote
statistics. But IL any of thom goes
about among the poor and troubled
more than l do. l don't know who it
can be. l find the worllingman
makes his brew at home now and the
whole family helps make it and helps
drink it!
More Drinking Now"
81 am at the head of Gact-findirk
department. The facts are mat more
drinking goes on now than ever be-
fore. You have only to visit psyche
pathic wards. accident wards. city
hospitals, where people are dying from
alcoholism and cirrhosiS of the liver
to prove this.
Education in the dangers of alco-
hol has practically stopped, simply
because the temperance interests
calmly lie hack upon their 'laurels'
and declare that the Nolstead law has
ended the liquor traffic and that there
is no more need of educating the peo-
pie in the effects of strong drink. Ed.
ucation and a slower process of dry
ing things up would bring about true
temperance"
Mrs. Smith insists she belongs to
"the great army of average women"
She has a home, a girl % and a job
very attractive job, apparently.
She does not advocate the repeal or
modification of the dry law because
daughter has never so much as
slipped an intoxicating thing"
The average woman, wet" or
dry" she declares. wants law. order,
prosperity and temperance. The only
difference between the vets and the
drys, says she, is that the drys be-
lieve betterment can he had by for
bidding all liquor and the vets believe
slower, less drastic method would
accomplish more.
The Poor Mans Beer.
prohibition" continues Mrs. Smith,
should have passed with the heat
less, sugarless, meatlesS days of war
time. The saloon, however, should
have been permanently abolished. 1t
passed, but next to impossible to get
| 1t repealed. In 60 years there has not
been a constitutional amendment re-
pealed.
IF rich people and social lights get
all they want to drink, in spite of
the law, why should not the poor man
have his beer, Of good quality, at low
cost. the output controlled by the
Government? Ii is folly to say pro-
hibition has put the thought Of liquor
out of the workingman's mind. He
may have a harder time getting it.,
but he gets it, and it is terrible stuff.
"Speakeasies, stills, home-brew are
everywhere, and 1 ask the drys to tell
me how they can be abolished! Can
human nature be changed in a day. a
year. seven years? Can the weak be-
come strong, the ignorant become edu-
Gated just by the passing Of a law?
l say such a miracle Is too much to
expect, and that wrong method was
followed.
II overheard a conversation be.
tween two women. One Of them sug-
gested a cooling drink. The friend
agreed that an ice-cream soda
wouldn't go so bad. The other
laughed, I know where to get real
drink she said. But objected the
other, it's so warm 1t will make us
still warmer Never mind; I'd rather
have it just because they tell me 1
can't was the retort. 1t is that
spirit which causes the harm"
Mrs. Smith does not lay all blame
for law-breaking, crime, the rebellion
of youth and the Indifference of
parents to the eighteenth amendment.
Much of the trouble Is the natural
aftermath Of war, and some of 1t
comes from the general speeding up
of life-the automobile, telephone,
radio and other inventions that have
done away with time, space and isola-
| ton.
Wants New Amendment.
There is impatience everywhere
| unrestraint and the desire to live
People won't stand forbiddings. To
| my mind, the solution of this drink
| problem lies in passing new amend
ment multiplying the eighteenth and
| placing the decision with the indi-
vidual States.
States rights are necessary be-
cause temperaments and living condi.
tons differ SO widely. This is the
only way the will Of all the people can
be served"
HARAHAN'S ADOPTED