Evening star., 1932-11-25
pro.Beer and Anti-Saloon Pledges

Pro-Beer and Antl-Saloon Fleoges'
Both parties are on record as declar-
ing against the return OF the saloon.
Republicans would retain sunclenU
national control of the sale Of intoxi-
cants to prevent this return. Demo-
Gratis would have the States so legislate
and enforce such legislation as Will pre-
vent the saloons return.
In relation to the District, Congress-
representing the Nation, is both Nation
al LEGISLATURE and State Legislature,
having therein by constitutional pro-
vision power of exclusive legislation.
If the eighteenth amendment Is re-
pealed, as proposed by the Democrats,
or vitally amended, as proposed by the
Republicans, the obligation win be i'm
posed upon Congress to decide wnetner
the sale of intoxicants shall or shall
not be prohibited in the District. II
Congress by any chance should vote
that the District shall be dry, then Con-
grsss must, in accordance with both
Rapphlican and Democratic pledges, and
as porn E-.scSal and State Legislature
for the Districr, icg--S.s~ effectively to
protect the dry District ITU- being
flooded with intoxicants from neighbor-
ing wet States. If, on the other hand,
Congress, as it doubtless will, votes
that intoxicents may be made and sold
IN the District, it must, in accordance
with both Democratic and Republican
pledges and either as the Districts
National or State Legislature, so legis-
late as effectively to prevent the return
of the saloon: as, for example, by for
bidding the sale of intcxicants by In
diyiduals for personal profit and by
reserving to itself the monopolistic
power of distributing and selling intoxi-
cants. as is done in Canada and in the
Scandinavian countries. The new con-
stitutional amendment recently adopted
by California makes sincere and pos
sibly effective Cat any rate, helpfully
suggestive) effort to bring about. in case
of repeal of the eighteenth amendment,
sale Of intoxicants under strict State
control while forbid6ing and probably
preventing In fact the return OF the
saloon.
Since the will of the people, as voiced
in partisan political platforms and ex-
pressed In the voting In the recent
presidential election, is as distinctly
against the return of the saloon, with
its inherent and conceded evil infiu-
ences, rs it Is for the return (for ex-
ample) Of beer Of low alcoholic percent
age, the legislation In amendment OF
the. yolstead act, pending repeal or re-
vision Of the eighteenth amendment,
which seeks to restore with limitations
the making and sale Of beer. Is subject
to the same anti-saloon pledges that
will apply to the removal of the pro-
hibitions Of the eighteenth amendment
against all intoxicating liquors by the
repeal or the revision of the amend
ment. It is inconceivable that the sa-
loon. forbidden by common consent to
return as a result of repeating consti-
tutional prohibition, can even before
such repeal be restored in fact by legis-
lation in amendment Of the Volstead
act, which will permit legalized beer to
be sod, uncontrolled, as non-intoxi-
eating beverage, through any desired
medium, including the saloon. II the
people have declared, I'VE want beerl"
they have also declared through the
same mouthpieces, I'VE do not want the
saloon!"
If the pro-beer pledge is to be faith
fully kept, its intimate associate, the
anti-saloon pledge, should not be re-
pudiated.
Demonstration that the speakeasy is
o greater evil than the saloon does not
justify the restoration or the continued
existence Of the saloon. There Is no
compulsion to decide between them and
to tolerate either. The peoples YER
dict, II expressed In the declarations
and commitments in the recent cleo
ton, condemns both.
Whatever Congress, representing tine
Naticn, and in its dual capacity as Ma
tional and State Legislature, enacts as
the liquor law Of the District should
be SO thoughtfully and wisely framed
as to become a model for the States In
efficiency ard in assurance Of enforce
ment If, as already pointed out, Con-
gress by any chance should make the
District dry, 1t will with certainty pro-
tect the dry District against the neigh
boring wet States. II Congress, as 1t
doubtless will, should make the Dis
trict wet, its legislation on the subject
should with certainty effectively pre-
vent the return Of the saloon.
Trotsky is dodging fnterviewers. II he
ran think of anythinR worth printing,