The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1931-01-01

prohibition fsOnclty curing Lle year. Dut
chinery is increasingly effective.
Concerted. intensive natioa-toidc at
tack OF iuefs on prohibition successfully
resisted Advertising Ualue Of anti-prohi-
bitiou publicity conSerDatiUcly placed at
million dollars tDeek for past year.
Congress, courts and UoterS sustain lao
and dry policy.
Slight reUerSes at polls inspire drys 10
renetDed and more erteasiUe campaign OF
education.
The house judiciary hearings on wet
bills and the senate lobby investigation
occasioned an unprecedented volume of
public discussion of prohibition during the
first half of the year. The net result was
simply to furnish q forum for the vets TO
show that they are in n minority and that
they are not agreed upon any substitute
for the Eighteenth Amendment. None of
the wet resolutions was reported out of
committee.
Polls Of the members of the American
Bar Association and various other ma
tional groups taken at the instance of or
gained vets within their ranks reported
n majority against prohibition.
On the other hand the General FEEDER
alton OF Women's Clubs, the National Ed
ucation Association, many national con-
ferenceS of church groups, and all organi-
cations actively supporting prohibition in
the past reafiirmed their unwayering dry
stand during 1890
The transfer of enforcement to the de-
partment of justice on July and the an
nouncement of non-poisonous de-
naturant of commercial alcohol by the
treasury department we're important
chapters in federal administration of pro-
hibition laws. The indirect value Of the
new denaturant in robbing the vets of one
of their favorite prejudice arousing wet
arguments was greater than its direct eff
feet. A gradual increase in the efficiency
Of the federal enforcement machinery is
indicated by records of convictions in pro-
hibition cases reported by prosecutors
The Canadian border situation was
greatly improved beginning early in the
year following action by the Canadian
government forbidding clearances of Hq-
uor cargoes destined to this country.
The activities of the wet Crusaders"
and the organization of wealthy wet
women was a development in the field of
opposition to prohibition This organized
attempt Of the liquor forces to influence
woman votes against dry laws and to
arouse an interest in liquor among youth
llto 1dlltI ldI below the strength OF the
W. c. II. u. and the young peoples So
cieties actively supporting prohibition.
The abandonment of the beer and wine
program and the definite centering upon
outright repeal OF the Eighteenth Amend
ment as a part Of the wet strategy was a
1890 development of great significance.
The decision to fiaht for repeal seemed to
offer chance to argue for a consttu-
tional charge without telling the people
what kind of liquor legislation they pro-
pose to enact should the Eighteenth
Amendment be repealed Twenty-eight of
the senators elected in 1890 are dry while
only six are wet.
The loss of a number of dry congress-
man in the election was due more to the
Democratic landslide caused by the eco
nomic upheaval than to any increase in
wet sentiment The steadying influence
of prohibition during the period of eco
nomic reimbursement and its undoubted
social value in connection with the prob
lem of unemployment, was of vital i'm
portance TO the national welfare during
the year.
The year 1881 is expected to bring no
material changes in the situation with re-
spect to national prohibition except in
improved enforcement and the enactment
of such legislation as may be needed to
achieve it,
The present congress will adjourn on
4 xFTf1 1Nr,A