Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-11

Comment In America on the demand
for Government control Of liquor sales
in Nova Scotia which resulted from the
recent election in Canadas last strong
hold" Of total aridity seems, as whole,
to be less bitterly marked with partisan
ship than usual. Opinions differ as to
the significance Of the step, some OBJ
servers explaining 1t Is q desire to get
more money for the state and attract
the ''dry" tourist. Others look upon it
as definite proof of the growing popu
larity of the policy of restriction and
regulation as opposed to absolute prohi-
bition.
"No American. who desires to be fully
informed on Canada's attitude" in the
Judgment Of the Springfield Republican,
will ignore one of the main causes OF
the Canadian adoption and continued
support of the government dtspensary
system. That cause IS financial and
selfish. The fact that the United States
is dry makes the government dispensary
policy all the more attractive to Cana
dams. Government ownership OF the
liquor trade brings large revenue to
the government treasury and, to some
extent, taxes are reduced on account
of it . This profit in Canada has
been greatly increased by the immense
American motor tourist trade. which
grows year by year . and there Is
another aspect to the situation: Exports
of Canadian liquor to the United States
bootleg trade also increase government
revenues"
economic reasons for the disappear
ance of the prohibition experiment In
Canada" are also emphasized by the
Chicago Daily Tribune. and that paper
remarks: "Wnen Quebec alone was wet,
it attracted the bulk Of this trade and
the most of the tourist money. New
Brunswick, @ land of much charming
scenery, went wet, with government re-
strictions, and that put the equally
advantage which the people have voted
to remove. As Is we'll known, none OF
these provinces, in giving up prohibition,
has confessed that the problem of liquor
Is insoluble or that the use of alcoholic
beverages must degrade the people. The
Canadian communities certainly do not
suffer in comparison as to sobriety
and order with American communities
under prohibition"
* X X "
whether Canada, in adopting gov
eminent control of liquor, has acted
wisely remains for time to prove" ac-
cording to the Charlotte Observer, and
that paper adds: British Columbia
was the first of the Canadian provinces
TO adopt government control, and the
verdict at Vancouver Is that so success
full has the control system proved In
that province that Its gradual exten.
as inevitable British Columbia testi-
fees that since government stores were
onened and the thrill of secret drinking
was wiped out there has been gradual
return to normal and the bootleggers
are diving out for lack of clientele,
MANY American listeners heard the
radio speeches of Premier Ferguson ana
were impressed by the fortitude with
which he urged his conclusion that by
doing away with absolute prohibition
his country had destroyed the boot
legger's profits and the commercialized
laWbreaking upon which they were
based" says the Akron Beacon Journal.
The Allentown Morning Call points out
that to-day little Prince Edward Island,
of all the Canadian provinces, remains
the only dry spot in the northern coun-
try"
"a test of the government system of
LIQUOR sales" is seen by the st. Paul Pho
neer Press IN the Ontario vote, "inas-
much as that province up to 1926 had
been regarded as the stronghold Of pro-
hibition in Canada" and that paper
continues, I'm Is years Canada has
gone from almost completely wet to al
most completely dry and back to wet
ness again, but with the difference that
the saloon has disappeared in the
process and its place is taken by the
government liquor store" OF the Nova
Scotia situation, the Pioneer Press re-
marks that the people were presented
with two questions. Asked TO state
their attitude on the prevailing tenn