The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-01-15
SMALLER IN
FAVOR OF DRY LAW,
NEA POLL INDICATES
389 Publications, With CircuIa-
ton Of 3,932,041, Favor
18th Amendment
BALLOTS ARE SENT TO 1900
345 Newspapers, With circuIa-
ton of 12,52o,o11, Would
Repeal Dry Act
ARE SENT TO 1900
BY BRUCE CATION
(NEA Service WRITER

~
Eleven years after national prohi
bition became effective a NATIONWIDE
poll of approximately $500 dali,
newspapers in the United States will
calculations totaling far into the mil
lions shows:
Three hundred and eighty
nine newspapers with q total cir
culation of 3,932,O41 favor the
prohibition amendment as It now
stands.
Three hundred and forty five
newspapers with a total clrcula-
ton Of l2,52O,9l1 are opposed TO
the prohibition amendment as 1t
now stands.
Thirty-eight newspapers with a
circulation of 1859 favor m0dl-
fication of the Volstead act.
Eighty-seven newspapers with
a circulation of 6l6,4O4 r neu-
trail on the subject of prohibition.
Six hundred and f0rty-nine
newspapers or Whereabouts appar-
emily did not choose to express
an opinion as they made no reply
to missionaries.
Replies were received from a total
OF 1853 newspapers having a combined
circulation of 17,333,225. On stand
ard newspaper estimate that there
are four readers for each subscriber
or newspaper buyer, these replies are
those of newspapers that are read by
69,332,90 0 persons in the United
States.
That sums up the result of a ma
tion-wide poll of newspapers just
conducted by NEA Service, Inc, the
worlds largest newspaper feature
service, which also serves the Bis
marck Tribune.
Carried Bureau Idea
It was q poll designed to do the
work of the poll which the U. S. pro-
hibition bureau started last fall and
then suddenly Cancelled.
The prohibition bureau sent Ques-
tionnaires to editors throughout the
country. Before replies could be re-
ceived, however, the survey was cam
celed by Colonel Amos w. Woodcock,
federal prohibition enforcement di-
rector. He said he feared the pur-
pose of the QUESTIONABLE might be
misunderstood.
Solely as a matter of public infor-
nation, and with no desire to prove
anything either for o. against pro-
hibition. NEA Service took up this
survey which the bureau abandoned.
WoOdcock Questions Asked
The original letter sent out by the
bureau asked these four questions:
Are you in favor of the 18th
amendment and the VOlstead
act:
Are you opposed to these
enactments?
S-Are you neutral?
4-Will you state briefly your
reasons for adopting the policy
you r advocating?
The QUESTIONABLE sent out by NEA
Service contained those same four
questions. Also, it was pointed out
that the editorial attitude of the
newspapers vas being sought, and not
the personal opinions of the editors.
Questionnaires were mailed to
| 500 daily newspapers, listed in the
Yearbook issued by Editor and Pub
Usher, a leading newspaper trade
They were sent to all these,
regardless of geographical location,
,eanings or previously expressed p0-
on prohibition.
The results of this survey are pre-
'ented here impartially. No attempt
IS made to draw any conclusions from
hem NEA Service does not pretend
% know what the significance of the
it has obtained may be-or,
indeed, whether the figures have any
significance at all. It is Offering the
simply in the belief that they
will be Of widespread public interest, !
Ind prohlbltioniStS, anti-prohibition-
stS and neutrals can construe them
according to their individual prefer
snces.
Drys Greatest in Number
The totals reveal that papers fol- |
an outright prohibition policy |
,utnumber the papers which advo-
ate repeal Of the dry laws, and make
Up approximately As per cent of the
number reporting.
Papers which favor repeal consti-
ute, roughly, 40 per cent of the total.
Papers which uphold the 18th
but want to see the Vol
tead act modified so as to provide
or light wines and beers number
bout As per cent.
Papers which have adopted a neu-
rTv<H