The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1929-10-01
IS THIS AMERICA?
Or Has Orderly Government in the
United States Been Superseded
by a Reign of Anarchy?

Secondly, even if the whole (prohi-
bition) force were perfect, they could
not force the people Of the United
States to give up liquor"
No. it was not back alley bootlegger
who said it,
Nor an illicit distiller of the backwoods
or mountain type.
Nor a denizen of the underworld, de-
faint of all moral restraints.
Nor yet the red-handed anarchist with
his flaming torch.
No, it was only the editor of the New
York EDening Post, writing postscript
reioinder in the letter column of its issue
Of September Ii III the year Of our Lord,
1929.
Shades of Calhoun and all the others
who have ever threatened orderly gov
eminent anywhere! Some of these have
had at least a measure Of justification.
But what of utility or sacredness is
there in beverage liquor that it can claim
exemption from the inhibitions of the
Constitution, the law and the enforcing
official?
What is beverage liquor except a curse
to society, a blight to the home, a cor
rupter of government, a menace to indus
try and transportation, a pariah in the
modern business world, an enemy OF re-
ligion, the summation in short of all that
Is abhorrent to the best ideals Of our
modern civilization?
The editor says in effect that liquor is
bigger and STRONGER than the government.
The people of the United States can not
be forced to give it up. so secure is the
strangle-hold of liquor upon the people.
Well that depends. Are the American
people slaves to appetite or are they free
and self-governing?
We seem to remember that the govern
ment once upon a time did force the peo-
pie to give up slavery. We seem to re-
member, too, that they were forced to give
up gigantic lotteries And treason, and
murder, and robbery, and duelling, and
kidnapping, and rape. and libeling, and
arson, and embezzlement and bribery, and
authorizations of food and gambling, keep
ing disorderly houses, vagrancy illegal
voting, forgery, counterfeiting, and some
hundreds of other acts deemed to be hurt
full to society and the general welfare.
But liquor must be exempted, outlaw
that it is
Yet that is the issue which has dared to
inject itself into the very midst OF our
social. political, religious and business life
in these United States.
No wonder our great President is
alarmed over the situation. It is the big
geSt issue of the hour Can representa-
tive government function? That is the
challenge OF the editor and his likes from
Clarence Darrow, up.
And, in bordering the answer to the
question, it will help if we remember that
there is as much responsibility resting on
society to keep itself pure as rests upon an
individual to do the same in his own life.
And liquor is not something that can en-
ter into any publication or welfare proc
ess. Furthermore, it is an outlaw, and the
government will still function, we opine
What are we going TO do about it, We
loyal Americans? Will we stand with
the government, or Will we be such slaves
to liquor as to defy and break down the
government? Shall America become
nation of lawbreakers? Answer it, you
men and women of America, as you face
your children and their destiny, your
wives, your homes, your business, your