Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-23
VETS CONTRADICT
OPPONENTS CLAIMS
Conditions Under Present
Laws Depicted to Com
mittee as DepIorabIe.
Continued From First Page.)

Continued From First Page.l
of their support or approval either be-
fore or after its passage"
Speaking on the working mans side
of prohibition, the industrialist said
"today's LIQUOR bill reached 81 600, 000,-
600. but that this was only 21a per cent
of the yearly income Of the people of
the United States"
Working Mans Efficiency.
whether or not the efficiency of the
working man has been materially
changed through prohibition is a ques-
ton that cannot be definitely proved"
du Pont asserted. I'm dealing with
this part of the subject, prohibitionists
take the attitude that large per-
centage of working men consumed
liquor to such an extent as to interfere
with their daily work." He said that
the committee Of fifty that investigated
the liquor problem for a decade before
prohibition estimated that not more
than per cent of the total male popu-
lation drank enough to cause them
selves injury.
"It is certain" he continued, "that
under conditions prevailing during the
past IL years they have been able to
indulge themselves In alcohol very
freely. Probably no increased efficiency
has been arrived at through curbing Of
the excessive drinkers"
Mr.. du Port said claims that wealth
"haS increased and savings and build
ing and loan insurance policies have
increased, because of prohibition, are
founded upon nothing but the coinci-
AARRA fhAaM Vxfff
istence of the prohibition law"
I'VE have yet to prove that prohibit
ton exists to any extent in this coun-
try II 1t does, we have no reason tc
assume that all happenings Of bene-
fetal nature under them resulted from
the change"
Discussing youth Of the country and
the liquor problem, the wet advocate
said that polls conducted at certain coll
leges showed q majority favored modi-
flcation or repeal of the dry laws.
Disregarded Constitution.
Congress has felt obliged to disregard
the Constitution on flve occasions as q
result of Supreme Court interpretations
of the liquor laws, he said, while the
enforcement division of the executive
department has been embarrassed by
permitting violators of the law to en-
force it.
Prior to Mr.. du Points testimony
Representative Tinkham, Republican
of Massachusetts, presented statistics
which, he said, "refute completely the
reiterated assertion that prohibition
has increased saving in the United
States"
Tinkham presented letter from Prof
irving Fisher of Yale University, dateC
July Q, 1929, in which the econornis'
said that he found evidence that pro-
hibition has materially helped thu
United States, but do not think 1t a.
important factor as several others"
Tinkham had written Fisher asking II
what he attributed prosperity in coun'
tries where there was no prohibition
particularly Canada and New Zealand
The Bay Slater also presented table
of statistics prepared by the American
Bankers Association, which, he said
! showed that per capita saving IN thll
country following prohibition was II
per cent less than similar period pre-
ceding prohibition.
ut will thus be seen from this table,
he said, that the total savings deposits
in the United States increased SO pei
cent from 1910 to 1919, the nine year:
preceding prohibition, and only 81 pei
cent from 1870 to 1929, the nine years
following prohibition.
"In other words, the increase in tota
savings deposits during the nine years
preceding prohibition was II per CEN
greater than during the nine years fol-
! lowing prohibition.
These statistics refute completely the
reiterated assertion that prohibition hal
increased saving in the United States
Questions Argument.
Du Pont told the committee that
arguments that prohibition was re-
sponsible for prosperity were open u
serious question; that certainly thu
people still were INDUCING in alcoho
Every freely" and that many respect
able citizens, perhaps including son1t
of those who administer and judge thu
law, were in the ranks Of the drinkers
There was so much uncertainty about
the prohibition question, said du POM
that no one responsible should refuse
to submit the question to the people
The judiciary committee, he declared
should report out bill to repeal the
eighteenth amendment in order to give
| the people an opportunity to expires:
themselves.
Representative Yates, Republican
Illinois, asked du Pont which bill h
favored.
1T favor a bill that would directly
repeal the eighteenth amendment" an
Swered the witness. II stand for direct
repeal" he added.
Charges Lack Of knowledge.
Gen. Edwards said that the testimony
of prohibitionistS before the COMMITTEES
indicates their lack of knowledge Of
what Is going on in this country to-
dsy-it indicates more particularly theil
failure to realize what is happening tc
our youth"
my object is temperance" he said
"Advisedly I say that my conclusions
are that the most incorporate thing
that exists is prohibition :.
Gen. Edwards said that as result
of the establishment Of canteenS, where
wines and beer were sold to promote
temperance among the soldiers and to
induce them to abandon saloons and
dives outside the military reservations
conditions improved. The soldiers, he
said, became "a sober, well disciplined
and happy crowd" and many became
total abstainers.
about this time" he said, "came the
forerunners of our modern advocates
Of dry fanaticism-the men and women
who demanded the abolition Of the
Army canteen. With absolutely nc
knowledge about the excellent results
obtained by reason of the establishment
Of these canteens, those reformers wagec
an incorporating battle in the halls
of Congress for the complete elimina-
ton of this most beneficial institution
LET the Army BE Dog"
1.-THE result Of this campaign" III
continued, was the enactment of leg.
islation prohibiting absolutely the serv-
ing Of any beverage of alcoholic con.
tent on a military reservation. Let the
Army be the dog on which to try thic
early edition of the eighteenth amend