Evening star., 1932-01-11
Americans Study Finland's
Referendum on Prohibition

Finland's decisive vote against pro-
hibition Is viewed with interest by
Americans on both sides of the LIQUOR
question. While the popular vote Is
only advisory, the understanding In
this country Is that the national legis-
lators will act in accordance with the
expression of opinion at the polls. The
ease OF action, as contrasted with the
constitutional requirements of this
country is stressed in the comments.
Everybody In Finland is pleased ex-
cept the smugglers, the moonshiners
and the bootleggers." according to the
Buffalo Evening News, which suggests
that In the United States their nefari-
GUS traflc has grown to such proper
tionS that it Is now counted as the
fourth industry In size in the country
The Evening News believes that "open-
minded citizens, with sense of values
have come to regard prohibition, not as
an asset, but as heavy liability" The
Cincinnati Times-Star holds it is ''in-
structive to American lawmakers" that
the Finnish Parliament agreed that
even II only 40 per cent of the voters
favored repeal, the government would
modify the law on the ground that SO
strong a minority made the law un-
enforceable" which is interpreted by
the Times-Star as facing the facts of
human nature"
THE United States alone among the
nations" says the Roanoke World
News, undertakes to impose the views
Of one part of the country on another" "
That paper declares that the gesture
now being made In the American Con-
greSs for a vote on the subject" is
political rather than social, for both
sides seem to be determined to put GER
tain members on record before the con-
gressional elections" Pointing to the
lack of enough support to change the
Constitution, the WorldNews con-
cludes: while experience indicates
that prohibition is only practicable
where there is strong body OF public
sentiment back of it, the United States
has not as yet been willing to recognize
that fact by returning the matter to
the States, and allowing each to decide
for itself with Federal protection from
interference by its neighbors.
THAT the Firms are in hurry TO
get back to wet conditions" in the
opinion of the Charlotte Observer, "is
indicated in call for Parliament TO meet
this month, to make the vote Of the
people operative. The surprise is in
the haste of the people to have the laws
changed" Commenting that "Ameri-
cans may envy the ease with which
other countries, having had enough of
prohibition experiences, correct the er-
ror and adopt such other forms OF reg
ulation as they DESIRE" the Chicago
Daily Tribune points out that this
country remains as an example and
admonition against the transfer of an
enthusiasm into the most binding law
the structure of the country knows"
The Goshen News-Times emphasizes
that the change in Finland will be a
simple matter, for it may be accom-
plished by simple vote Of the Diet"
Taking different attitude on the
subject, the Rochester Times Union
offers the explanation: "As had been
explained before the referendum was
held, the agitation was strongly influ-
enced by the argument that the Finnish
treasury desperately needed the income
from an excise tax, which was recon-
mended by the vets as much better
method than to permit such wealth to
leave the country through bootleg chan
nels. To that extent the prohibition
issue has been disposed of on the
strength of more or less unrelated