The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-04-09

hibition law. 1 also am strong for
morality, and while I must admit
that the general moral conditions OF
the people today are not so good as
they were prior to the adoption OF
prohibition, I know that prohibition
had nothing whatever to do with the
lowering of our moral standards.
denounce as a calumny and as
an untruth the statement that the
young people of both sexes are
drinking more now than they die
prior to the adoption of prohibition
If there is any connection whatever
between our present low mora
standards and prohibition it is be.
cause of violations of the law anc
not in the law itself.
Some of the 'wets" have claimed
that the prohibition law has cur
tailed the demand for grain and
that surplus years supply of grain
is on hand and in the elevators Of
the country.
They say that this surplus has
demoralized the market and de-
pressed the price of grain to a point
far below the cost of production
Now I will admit that the annual
surplus of grain which we have
produced since 1925 just about has
equaled the amount which was con-
sumed in the production of alcoholic
beverages, prior to the adoption of
the eighteenth amendment.
A recent report of Secretary Hyde
states that the amount so used in
the year 1917 was something more
than 100000 bushels, but con-
tend that any loss sustained by the
growers of grain has been more
than compensated for in the in
creased use Of milk, ice cream and
garden vegetables.
1t is said further that the farmers
are in serious financial difficulties
because of low prices and high taxes.
1 know very little about this as my
salary is $4,000 year and I live in
a rent-free parsonage.
However, I do pay taxes on per-
sonal property of about $1,000. Now
come to the most contemptible
argument Of all. The "wets" say
that without increasing the con-
sumption of alcoholic beverages
above what it now is, the govern
ment could collect one billion dol
lars in revenue annually if we had
regulation instead of prohibition.
Shame on the man who would
coin the blood and tears of women
and little children into revenue. I
am glad that I live in land that
scorns to accept blood money and
refuses to license depravity.
know that absolute prohibition
is the best method ever devised by
man for the control of liquor.
l am,
THE SPIRIT OF INTOLERANCE
Editor Times-There's no neces-
sity of rehearsing the tongue worn
prohibition question, as every one
with the smallest iota of common
Judgment is convinced of the final
outcome. SO in conjunction with
your advocacy Of repeal of the
prohibition amendment to solve
the taxation problem, the follow
ing is suggested as an aftermath to
the inevitable:
Looking one step ahead-and that
is repeal-an effort should be made
now to educate our legislators Of
the states and country that when
prohibition is annihilated, pro-
visions should be incorporated in
the new laws governing the brew
cries and distilleries, prohibiting
any mergers, trust, or combines in
any degree.
When repeal is effected. practi-
caly a LEGAL infant industry will
be born, and laws should be inaug-
dustry readily would be exterm-
fancy.
Statesmen should make legisla-
ton so stringent that breweries or
distilleries only can be operated as