New Britain herald., 1930-01-25
COMMUNICATED
Mayor Paonessa's Answcr to Recent
 Communicated
Dear Editor:

II. Nhite, printed Tn newspaper columns Thursday night, 10 be based on fact. alone. On the contrary. we find 1t to be moro along the lines of a form letter Of endorsement for dry legislation, with several en- thusiastic, but far-fetchcd claims backed by personal opinion, rather than concrete proof.
 In some instances which I will cite. the facts are in direct contra diction Of the statements written by the secretary of the fact finding committee
 AIr. White is in error when he quotes me as saying that his conl- r1ittee is concerned only with the enforcement of the liquor law. My letter Of comment on his previous. communication merely pointed out that in the particular instance then under discussion, he had dealt with this legislation. only. If he will be so kind as to peruse my letter asain' believe he will agree that this ls the fact.
 I have no dispute with the secTe- tary when he classes as unpatrlonc those who are trying to lustlty and encourage law breaking hE teaching doctrines that arc stmy w1h treason" His association would do real service by striking hard at such activities. However, l eail 10 sec where this comment finds place in letter written in the form Of a reply to what l have preached. Alisning myself with the great army of leading citizens Of our nation Who favor modification, have urged rot that the law be broken or ignored, but that it be modified along constitutional lines set up m the basic law of our country. 1hl6 I regard to be the iualienablc right Of every citizen, and assume that Mr. White coucurs in this oplnloh.
 Admitting the 18th amendment to be an encroacbment on the lndlN1d- ual rights of the citizen, MT. Nhlte endoavors to justify this encroach- ment in the interest of the general welfare. am not gifted 01th prophetic vision, but if the secre- tary's evening newspaper does not furnish him tonight with contradic- ton of the general welfare nouon' it will differ radically from the newspapers which have been printed daily during the past decade. HIS communication came 10 my atten- ton Friday morning. The first page of the newspaper whose columns carried his letter displays all ar ticle concerning raid on the hunt ing lodge Of a high official on the "dry' enforcement staff; it tells ot all allegation that one individual smusaled s25.000 worth of cham pagne into this country last year; u reports the shooting Of Detroit man. suspected Of having Hquor m a row boat but found to have none. + this example by men in hlgh position. and this terrorizins of law abiding citizens, taken from one page fone newspaper, contribute to the general welfare" Of the country. I would be interested 10 know in just what manner they do.
 Mr. White reports fewer arrests for drunkenness and offenses caused by liouor consumption since the prohibition law was enacued than before this period. I have not in nuired into the source Of these sta ti,tics. I do know, however, that i, arrests have been fewer it is not ? true measure of liouor consump- ,ior. I have never known pcriod when drinking vas so prevalent De- fore. and am informed that almost any roadhouse m the stat"' any night in the week, will make thc old time saloon look, in compar1son' like a strawberry festival. With so much of our policing strength oe- voted to the task of enforcing thls impossible prohibition law. and "Ilh drunkenness so commonplace now adaya it is not surprising that the police are ignoring the plain drunk v-bo. in the days Of a more law abiding citizenry. would be taken to hes dquarters.
 The general death rae In New Britain has dropped 20 De; cent since prohibition came, Mr. " "h''e "h''e renor1s, He then goes on to say that the death rate from diseases related directly or 1ndlreclIy 'o ]iouor drinking has dropped % per cent By setting these figures anart l assume he means to admit that preventive medicine and sc'en- fife discoveries, Of which there nave been many m the past 10 years h.,a contributed somewhat 10 the reduction in the general death ra'"' recently read in 3 newspaper ''d 'l' ,bere had been no deaths here IFo''' aIroho,i=m in 1922. and one Tn me nreccdin. year There IS " I'' n,r cent reduction, yet IT contc'''> hut one death. IL ie obvious that rhe rate might be cut 59 per cen, without meaning much in general summari%auon, >
 Continuing. he wrI,cs: NC" Britain savings banks have tW'ce "S
 much money in them and tNlce d. many depositors, The city has ronl times as many automobiles as Tn lhe last year of the saloon.
 Without saying so Tn as f'anS words. this claimed fact IS crc'l'eo to prohibition. If the dry laN has read justed the country coonor''- ,callv. then with the credit gwen TOT thesa improN cmcnts, must not 'h' law also accept the onu5 for th' unpreccd dcntcd spread of bankruptcy and foreclosure procecdings clutter, irc up the dockets Of every court ! Mir. White must have remarkapl' discerning power 10 be able to sepa
 rate those things in the business
 world which are attributable tf prohibition from those which ar'
 not Isn't it quite a coincidence | tI,at all the benefits are found ol