Evening star., 1928-06-17

what he thinks about IL and whether
he would like it in his own country. II
he Is wise, he reserves his opinion until
at least he has had time to see ana
think, and then he will beware OF
plunging rashly into what Is after all a
domestic question, however interesting
1t may be to the rest Of the world.
Nevertheless. with these cautions and
provisos, I will venture few observa-
tions.
I should say that on the whole the
outward Observance Of the law was bet
ter enforced than when was In the
country in 1921. Six years ago the
stranger coming into the country would
have had alcohol offered to him. where
as now. II he wanted II, he would have
to know the ropes" On all public oc-
casions and in most places where men
and women foregather, outside private
houses, observance seems generally to be
strict. l have attended a great many
seen the law broken or evaded.
The traveller who goes to America and
stays in hotels will be very much mis-
taken If he iInagines that, as Is COM
monty supposed in Europe. he can get
as much liquor as he likes, in spite OF
the law. II he has the normal decent
feeling which makes visitor to another
country feel that he is abusing its hos
pitality when he breaks its laws, he will
have To go without. unless he Is being
legitimately entertained by private per-
sons. The sense of guilt Is heavy upon
him, even If he carries flask with him
for the emergencies of travel, unless he
has legitimized this exception by OBJ
tanning a doctors prescription-which
he almost certainly will not have done.
/ am speaking now only of outward
observance. and Americans hasten TO
tell me that my impressions are mis-
leading. They say that all that has
happened in the six years is that non
observance has been systematized and
canaliZed so as not to conflict with out
ward appearances. Some suggest that
more and not less alcohol Is consumed
than six years ago.
Opinions Seem TO Differ.
At this point ask for facts. and. Of
course. nobody can give them. That
/ Since the trade in alcohol is forbidden
by law, it is unknown to the admins
tration. The bootlegger cannot be
asked to inform the authorities Of the
dimensions Of his Illicit trade: the
authorities can only suspect the degree
to which the law Is GRADED. In such
circumstances eyerybody's opinion is as
good as everybody else's. and every
body's opinion seems to differ passion
ately from everybody else's.
So the observer coming in can de-
nothing but collect opinions and en-
deavor to weigh them against each
other. I can only very tentatively
record certain results of my weigh1ngs.
They are somewhat as follows:
/. The prevailing Though not unani-
nous opinion of employers that prohi-
bition Is good for industry points TO O
real decline in the consumption of alco-
fol. Even among employers who pro-
fess themselves wet as individuals. !
have heard this factor put high among
the causes of American prosperity. II
this is warranted. 1t must mean that
in the opinion of these presumably COM
petent witnesses there has been an in
crease of soberity.
2. The general belief that woman
voters are strong supporters Of the Law
points in the same direction. Just as
employers are competent witnesses OF
the results in the workshop. so are
women competent witnesses Of the re-
cults in the home.
g. There is unanimous opinion that
I the abolition Of the saloon has been an
advantage coupled with some doubts
whether the recrudescence Of the saloon
L
GENTLY guarded against. take It that
there is no doubt that all America, or
at least an overwhelming majority OF
Americans. wish the abolition OF the
saloon to be permanent and think that
the country has gained by 1t.
What Critics Say.
These undoubtedly are strong practi-
cal grounds for continuing the law.
What is there to be said on the other
side? Here again am only collecting
opinions, but 1 should sum up what
the critics and opponents of the law
allege somewhat as follows:
/. The evasion of the law is on such
scale and so many otherwise blame
less people are implicated is in that it
brings not only this one law into dis
repute but is seriously undermining
the respect for law throughout the
country
2. That a large proportion of the
liquor smuggled into the country is of
inferior quality, and its consumption
Is undermining the health of those who
drink it-witness the increased number
of deaths from alcoholic poisoning.
3, That the obtaining Of illicit liquor
has become a sport and an adventure
which especially appeals 10 the young
OF both sexes, large numbers of whom
are now said TO be drinking on a scale
which they would never have drernpt Of
before the act came into operation. A
similar result is attributed to the con-
slant talk about liquor in all circles
which has accompanied the law and
the controversy about it. Th'i is re-
ported in most of the big towns, and
many OF the universities are said to be
seriously concerned about It.
There are ramiflcations of the argu-
ment in many other directions, but
these. think, are the main points.
can express no opinion about this,
but to the onlooker 10 seems as II the
United States has got stuck halfway in
this business. The dry opinion is
strong enough TO maintain the Volstead
act but not strong enough to procure
anything like its rigid enforcement.
Beyond doubt the experiment is q
great and courageous one and the on
locker sees in it one of those uprushes
of idealism which are characteristic of
the American people.