Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-26
Continued From First Page.)

With the abolition of the canteen
LentZ said, Pershing had demonstrated
that young men in the Army are no
more in need of saloon than young
men at home in the peaceful pursuits
of life"
Asserting that since prohibition
| something has happened to lengthen
the lives of our people the former
House member said, that the lower death
| rate insurance companies had arrived at
"means that the livs of liquor drinking
| insured people, were heightened as
result of the abolition Of the saloon"
Figures which he presented to the
committee, he said, show that "the ex-
pectancy of life was plainly increased,
| and If human beings are worth while, 1t
| is certainly worth something to nave
them stay out of the cemeteries ana re-
main with their families several years
| longer"
Figures From ~ Companies.
Lentz took his figures on decreased
| mortality from II insurance companies
comparing pre-prohibition with pro-
| hibition years.
I'm the years prior to the effect OF
the eighteenth amendment" he said,
1914 to 1919, inclusive, the death rate
| ranged from 81 to SO per cent.
While the averages for the years 1921
| to 1927, inclusive, ranged as low as
| so, So and So per cent, and only once
did it reach as high a point as 81 per
cent"
He contended prohibition had saved
the American people millions of dollars.
Lentz quoted former Premier Lloyd
George about prohibition, in which the
| Britisher held:
"The abolition of the saloon is in part
the cause of Americas prosperity"
The witness added that the Method
lists and other Protestants had repudi-
ated the saloon and alcoholic beverages,
while the Catholic Church, through
some of its most noble leaders, has
| spoken against the liquor traftic.
For instance" he went on, "the
world-famous Cardinal Mercier of Bel
GUM spoke upon the subject IN these
heroic words:
Universal prohibition would save
more lives than general disarmament
He also quoted Rev. James E. Cassidy.
vicar general of the diocese Of Fall
River, as having spoken in courageous
| language" in support of prohibition.
LentZ presented digest OF reports
to the committee, which, he said, show
ed that the death rate of infant chill
dren had been lowered since prohibit
| ton.
Wherever alcohol was used as a bev-
erage he argued, the death rate was
increased from 80 to 70 per cent.
Lentz described Patrick Callahan of
Louisville, KY, as one of the foremost
Catholics in the country, and said he
was taking an active part In the prohi-
bition controversy. The Kentuckian, he
added, was mastering the dry Catholics
to support the eighteenth amendment.
The Ohioan said because prohibition
enforcement had its problems and its
difficulties should not for a moment
deter us in the onward march toward
complete sobriety."
Every argument for more alcohol is
an argument for more drunkards," he
commended.
Insurance Firms Profit.
CroSs-examined by Representative
Stobbs, Republican, Massachusetts,
Lentz testified insurance companies
proflted more from abstainers than from
drinkers, as the abstainers averaged four
more annual payments than drinkers.
Stobbs asked Lentz If the military
committee before which Gen. PerShing
appeared had suggested the elimination
of drinking among officers in Army
posts when they considered the bill to
close the liquor dispensing canteens.
Lentz replied that such suggestion
was not made.
Lentz said that restrictions on drink
ing had been placed on the A. E. F.,
but Gen. Pershing had permitted the
| soldiers to drink wines and beer be-
cause of the poor drinking water.
Throughout his experience in France
| during the war, he said, he never saw
drunken soldier.
81 thank YOU" interposed La Guardia,
laughing: La, Guardia was major in
the Air Service.
1.-THE beer and wine the boys drank
was not strong enough" Lentz said.
| Questioned by Representative Celler,
| Democrat, New York, as to the deaths
| due to alcoholism, Lentz said the re-
| ported increase in deaths in the United
| States due to alcoholism resulted from
| poisonous alcohol manufactured oy
Ignorant bootleggers."
this country, he said, was poor. He as
serted the city of Columbus was dry
| now, and there was no need Tor making
| dry speeches there any more.
CcIIer Recites Columbus Figures.
Celler read figures from Columbus po-
| lice sources showing an increase IN ar
rests for drunkenness. He asserted In
| 1928 arrests were higher than before
prohibition, but the witness upheld the
population of the city had virtually
| doubled.
Representative Sparks, Republican,
Kansas asked If drunkenness before
| 1920 was not so common In Columbus
| that DRINKS were not arrested.
1--WE did not have enough police 70
arrest them" the witness replied.
Lent declared the span of life had
been heightened by prohibition.
Chairman Graham asked II he did
not know that Johns Hopkins author
ity had found that the moderate drinker
had the greatest life expectancy. but
| the witness said he had not seen the
document in question and would not
believe it.
E, G. Drury, a former premier of the
ontario provincial government, was the
second witness. He said the Canadian
system of government liquor diSpen-
saries had not worked satisfactorily.
Drury testified it had not been evil
denced that government sale of liquor
had wiped out bootlegging in Canada.
It was further evidenced by the figures,
he said, that attractions of the liquor.
selling laws had increased from 7,472
In 1918 to 1928 in 1928.
The Canadian asserted that while in
most provinces there was not a pretenSe
at government control, there had been
an attempt made IN Ontario, and added
that the liquor law in that province
was the best in the Dominion.
There are" he said mo beer parlors,
no sale OF liquor by the glass, no liquor
advertising, and, as any one can see
who will read Sir Henry Drayton's last
report, theoretically at least there Is an
attempt to check up on abuses by per-
NIT holders"
The tourists in Ontario, he asserted,
consumed in few days, as much liquor
as native did during the entire year.
There Is still another factor that i'll
fairness ought to be taken into consider.
alton, and that is the increased tourist
! business" he said.
81. - On