Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-24

brought the eighteenth amendment into
being. In addition 1t brought into open
and active advocacy Of prohibition that
important group of economic benefit.
Such men as Henry Ford, Filene OF
Boston, Edison and Durant. believe.
whether rightly or not, that prohibition
is very largely responsible for the
greater prosperity Of the mass OF peo-
pie. The possibility of a return to the
old conditions stirred these men into
activity in behalf Of prohibition en-
forcement by its friends.
AS to the attitude of the majority OF
women Of the country, about which
am often asked, speak with even
greater assurance.
Not long ago I talked to about zoo
women of an organization in Western
city, nearly all of whom were by nat
ural instinct, occupation and environ
ment constitutionally opposed to pro-
hibition. Nevertheless, most Of them
expressed the opinion that the dry
crows" as they designated the new
national administration, should be given
sporting chance to make good on
their promise of enforcement.
The predominating dry sentiment
among the women Of the country is
not noticeable, of course, among those
who have plenty of leisure and very
little work. I am well aware, also, that
more of the girls and women who are
employed In offices and industry are
drinking more now than was the case
10 years ago. Nevertheless, any one who
mingles freely with all classes of wom-
en- Is bound to discover very soon that
the majority are opposed utterly and
unalterably to re-establishment OF open
saloons, and they think any relaxation
of enforcement is step in that direc-
ton. The great majority OF women stu
lean economically upon men, their
fathers or their husbands. Even II they
have property they let their man folks
handle 1t.
Marriage Changes WOman's Views.
The saloons not only deprived women
of the companionship to which they
thought they were entitled, but saloons
absorbed money which the women felt
they were entitled to share. For selfish
reasons, quite as much as moral rea-
sons, the women of the country Will
continue to be strongly for prohibition.
There is better furniture in the homes
throughout the country now than ever
before, simply because women are able to
divert a larger part of their husbands
incomes to household uses than in the
days of the saloons.
The modern girl who makes no pro-
test when her escort to dinner produces
q pocket flask and shares its contents
with her has no present stake in pro-
hibition enforcement. But the moment
that girl marries she likely will, whether
consciously or not, become a supporter
of prohibition, because she will always
be unwilling to share any part of her
husbands income either with boot
logger or a Saloonkeeper operating legal
ly. So far as the women of the country
are concerned, prohibition has come to
stay.
There is another factor of an intan-
gible nature which tends to give perma-
nency to prohibition. That is the pecu-
liar characteristic of the American peo-
pie to attempt and to finally accomplish
the impossible. That characteristic was
discerhible in American participation in
the World War. We might have con-
fined our participation to financial aid
to the allies and to furnishing them
with money and supplies. Instead, we
put into the World War every ounce of
our national energy.
We set about building not dozens or
scores of ships, but literally hundreds.
We trained and sent across the ocean
1000, 900 men-something never before
attempted and something considered abb
Solutely impossible by the German high
command as well as the allied COM
manders.
It is characteristic Of our people to
find way to accomplish the impossible
Prohibition has engaged the minds of
the mass Of our people as nothing else
ever has, except the issue of slavery.
Within the past few years prohibition
has lost a large number of supporters
who have been converted to the belief
that enforcement is impossible. But, in
my judgment, and the judgment of the
great majority of our So United States
Senators ana 435 Representatives, the
will Of the people is still for prohibition
enforcement.
The outlook. believe, is not repeal of
the amendment or modification of the
law. but improvement in enforcement
methods and results.
Copyright, 1929, by Current News Features,
Incl
I'm her concluding remarks. Mrs. Will
lebrandt, admitting that prohibition is
not at present very effectively enforced,
u -