The Washington times., 1929-10-14
CONTROL
SOLVES RUM
PROBLEM
BY FULTON LEWIS
Universal Service

the bootlegger, revived respect for
law enforcement in general, reduced
drunkenness. and changed WHISKY
from a forbidden treasure to just
another grocery.
This was the essence OF a com
prehensive report on the Dominion s
experiment in handling the temper
ance problem, contained In oam-
phlet published today by the Associa-
ton Against the Prohibition Amend
ment following a study OF more
than two years.
Conclusions Reached
The survey led to these conclu-
sions:
81, The actual observations OF
government control have demon
strated that the liquor traffic can
be SO regulated as to prevent
abuses which affect public welfare
and morality.
"2. The liquor boards are en-
abled, through their broad pow
ers, to correct summarily any dis
turbing condition.
"3. Organized bOOtIegging has
been wiped out. Petty bOOtleggers
are patronized by the relatively few
persons who could not buy liquor
openly.
81. The trend Of drinking Is to-
ward vine and beer,
"5. Except among the die-hard
prOhibitiOnists, the laws are sup
ported by public which previously
refused to obey dry statutes.
"6. Intemperance has decreased:
drunken man is rarely seen in
public.
~. Prison sentences for intOXi-
cation have increased, owing to
stricter enforcement and heavier
penalties, including mandatory
jail terms"
Traces Still There
The last traces OF prohibition
are still evident throughout the
provinces. the report states, in
comparatively few addicts to
canned heat" flavoring extracts,
and rubbing alcohol.
The report shows that in 1918
there We're 81 convictions for drunk
enness for every ! 900 persons. The
sharp decrease to 52.3 convictions
in 1915 and to 25.2 in 1918 is at.
tributable TO wartime conditions. it
is stated. and by 1920. when all
provinces were under prohibition
the rate has risen to 46.1.
After 1920 this rate fell to 2S 9
in 1925, and in 1928 had risen to
343. The new figure, however, is
still less than the pre-war rate, and
we'll below the prohibition figure of
1920.
The Anti.Saloon League and the
Methodist Board of Prohibition,
| Temperance and Public Morals
repeatedly presented these figures
| in support of their claim that
government control in Canada in
the last three years has increased
| drunkenness, but never in this
same light The figures of pre-
war days and immediate postwar
days have been omitted.
Many Are Americans
The report gave figures showing
that at the present time the
drunkenness arrests are 25 per
cent foreigners. No figures are
available along these lines in the
past. 1t was pointed out:
Since more than 8,O0O,OO
tourists from this country en-
tered Ontario alone last year
and a great quantity of liquor
charged to domestic use Is al
ways smuggled into the United
States, an accurate estimate of
liquor consumption by Canadians
is difficult to make.
Mild native wines represent
nearly three-quarters Of the wine
gallOnage of Canada, which was
increased. together with beer and
ale consumption. as the drinking
of spirits has declined"
That the economic dangers, charged
to government control by the pro.
hibition ardents is not accurate, is
shown. the report says, by the fact
that per capita savings of Cana
dians shows a rise from Sal in
the prohibition year of 1924 to $166
in 1928.
Altitude Is Changed
The report continues:
1--WE found there was wide.
spread belief in Canada. as there
is now i'm the United States, that
prohibition had undermined re-
spect for law in general. The
total abstinence mandate was re.
sented after the war: reputable cit
Kens violated it without COmpunc-
ton and justified their action on
the ground that prohibition en-.
CrOaChed on a fundamental right,
personal liberty.
1T was changed public which
welcomed governmental control.
People were glad to get behind
the law and help in its Observ-
anCe.
''In addition to that natural re-
action. there has been a signifi.
cant change i'm public thought.
''The host who formerly kept his
whisky with the family jewels
now produces it without comment
and the guest accepts 1t as one of
the amenities of hospitality.
I'VE were told i'm many places
that young people had learned the
drinking habit out of sheer per.
versity in the days of prohibition.
But since government control has
been established, there is no spice
Of daring i'm taking a drink, So,
the rising generation has gone
back to the normal habits of the
young. and condition which
caused their parents grave con.
Germ has been rectified."