The Washington times., 1929-08-12
V0LSTEAD Law
INDICTED IN
CHART

the association Against the ProhlDi-
ton AmendmenG yesterday made
public vigorous indictment of
Xolsteadism.
Tbs association sets forth that,
since the enactment of the prohibit.
ton amendment. the following re-
suits have taken place as disclosed
by actual statistical evidence:
1, Deaths from alcoholism,
which noted a general decline
from 1910 until prohibition, have
since risen from IL to s for
every 100000 OF population.
Insanity Increase
2. Insanity from alcoholism,
which noted a similar decline
from 1911 to 1890 again is ON the
rise. being more than twice what
AZ was when the dry law YVES
enacted.
8. Arrests for drunkenness, which
dropped from 100 to 20 per 10000
population from 1914 to 1890, have
shown . constant increase and
are now about 155 per 10000
population.
4. Seizures Of stills and liquor
have shown a constant increase.
and consumption Of raw materials
from which wFliskey and alcohol
are distilled have shown . parallel
rise.
5. In all charts a common char.
acteristfs Is found: That the line
descends steadily from the level
Of 1910 or Whereabouts to q low
record in 1890. the year prOhibi.
tiOn went into effect, and there
takes an immediate turn upward
again. continuing almost steadily
to the present time.
All figures presented are tabu.
lated from combined statistics Of all
States available. One chart is given
showing the alcoholic death rate for
100000 industrial life insurance
policy holders Of the Metropolitan
Life Insurance Company Of New
York.
Death Rate Grows
In 1911 there were four deaths to
every 100000 policy holders: in 1919,
So; In 1915, 5; in 1917. 4.8; In 1918,
2: in 1919, 1.5; in 1920. O.6. From
that time on. however. there was a
sharp increase for three years, no
appreciable change for the next
year. further increase for two more
years and a slightly downward
trend for the past two years. The
figure for 1928 was about SO per
100000 policy holders.
In the matter of arrests for In
toxication. the statement points out
that there is much argument on this
point. prohibitionists claiming that
present high figures are assignable
to an increased activity on the part
of the police, and dry law opponents
claiming that police are even more
lar about drunkenness arrests now
than before prohibition.
In its figures. the association
leaves out Chicago on the ground
that its figure for liquor arrests IL
unduly large due to peculiar condi-
tions, and contents itself with
statistics from 88S cities, showing
that In 1914 52O,367 arrests were
made for intoxication, the figure
dropping steadily to a low mark Of
235,612 in 1920, only to rise steadily
again to present figure Of 57,SO9.
Arrests Increase
The statement asserts that these
figures seem to indicate that the
gross arrests for intoxication now
exceed those Of 1914. 1t adds:
''This, however, Is misleading
because no allowance is made for
the increase in population"
At the same time Clinton N.
Howard, chairman of the National
United Committee for Law Enforce"
Inent. circulated his August bulletin,
which opens with the statement:
eve regret to be compelled to
reuOrt that administration stock
on the issue of prohibition has suf-
fered a marked decline during the
month Of July"
Faith I'm Hoover
Howard, presenting the view Of
the extreme drys, referred to what
he called "The unfortunate and
amazingly overt act" Of George w.
Wickersham, chairman Of the Pres
ident's Law Enforcement Commits.
sion, in sending to the governors
conference letter suggesting a divi-
sion OF prohibition enforcement re
sponsibility between the States and
the Federal Government. He added
"A hands off policy on the part
Of the Federal Government in the
matter OF intra.State manufacture
and sale would be return to local
option under constitutional pro,
hibitiOn, and would lead to multi.
ficatiOn In every wet State"
Howard also criticized the APP
pointment Of Senator Edge, Of New
Jersey, to be ambassador to France.
saying he was Extensively wet" He
continued:
'GTrusting In the good faith Of
OUr great Christian President. we
cannot believe that he has under.
gone any change Of heart or pur.
pose i'm his pre- and poSt-electiOn
commitments to enforce the Eigh
teenth Amendment. Our hope is
IN Herbert Hoover. If the Presi.
dent stands firm the fight for the
Eighteenth Amendment Is won.
III he weakens, we are scheduled
for a political armageddOn in the
presidential election of 1882"
OPAHIMFnn INV 20 MIRO