The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-02-05
Ten Years of Prohibition

prohibition" in quotations is not q cynicism.
This year marks the tenth birthday and the first decade
Of the noble experiment" There have not been ten
years Of prohibition. merely the first epoch of an attempt
to apply the theory to a nation composed OF many peo-
pies and Of many tastes.
The Volstead act is the butt Of many a joke; tho law
Is denounced, broken without qualn1s of conscience foc
the most part and, despite the fact that 1t finds its source
in constitutional enactment. the dry laws of the nation
are still its burning social and political issues.
But there have been many good results from the enact
ment Of the Volstead act and this newspaper holds 10
brief for that legislation either but firmly believes it
should be strictly and courageously enforced as long as
it is part of the law Of the land.
But what is there on the credit side of the prohibi-
ton ledger?
Thousands Of saloons, hellholcs Of corruption dis.
appeared probably never to return, even If the modifica-
tionsts are successful in bringing about government con-
troll Of liquor such as exists in some of the Canadian
provinces.
That is one good mark in favor Of dry legislation.
Again. some portions of the nation report an increase
In savings accounts. a betterment in standards of lv-
ing and a decrease actually in liquor consumed probably
to the physical improvement Of the American people.
On the other side. Of course, the chief debit is diff
ficulty OF enforcement. Liquor can be struggled into
the country easily end he who has the price can usually
get q good brand with reasonable safety from punish
ment, physically or otherwise.
Another black mark against prohibition is the fact that
many homes have become miniature breweries and dis
tilleries. Under the proper assumption that every mans
home is his castle, home-brewing goes merrily on. Many
persons straight-laced in the wet days now speak coyly
of the best kind of a still, how to crown the long necked
bottles and the brand Of hops which give the greatest
kick" to the greatest number.
Aside from the social discussion as to the relative merits
of this or that bootlegger, social conversation often drifts
t the best recipe for brewing within the home the best
kind and most effective alcoholic drink.
The Volstead act. too, has opened up a new avenue fs
official corruption. It has been rumored that some
b~ootleggers carry great sums Of money laced to their
lelts to secure an easy entry Of their goods into this
country. Be that as it may. there is sufficient in the
record to prove that the volstead act has led to bribery
and corruption In high places.
This is due largely to the fact that so many people ae
opposed to the law and refuse to be impressed with the
argument. that II any law is to be respected, all laws
must be respected. This principle is automatic unless
popular government eventually is to be undermined.
White ribboners have been disappointed also in their
prophecies that the younger generation unused to the
open saloon would form a citizenship whose lips had
never touched liquor. At a recent meeting of the Anti
Saloon league it was admitted that millions of boys and
girls at unheard Of ages before prohibition had acquired
drinking habits. Medical clinics Of the great cities II
they could. might verify the percentages Of juvenile
drinking offered from time to time by wet advocates.
Students of government know that legal fiat can reform
no one and whether drinking by the youth Of the land
is greater now then before the Volstead act is open to
argument and also hard of proof.
Chairman Wickersham, of the presidents law enforce
ment commission, hit the nail on the head when he said
that as long as there is an Eighteenth amendment, every
attempt must be made to make it more enforceable
Every fair-n1inded man will agree with that conclusion.
Nothing else will remove as effectively the evils that be-
set the operation of that amendment than rigid enforce
ment.