The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1932-02-23
TIE VERDICT OF FINLAND

Now that practically all the
votes in Finland's triple-headed
referendum on prohibition have
counted, it is possible to appraise
the results with substantial accur-
acy. Out of 772,901 votes ST.
967 were cast for outright repeal,
217,019 for retention and 1923
for modification of the law that
would legalze light wines and beer
of ordinary strength. Reduced
to percentages the figures show
7O.5 per cent for repeal, 28.1 for
retention and IA for modification.
OF the 34G,715 women who voted,
66 per cent recorded themselves
as opposed to further continu-
alton of the experiment. Although
the opposition to the law has been
! made more manifest in the last
two or three years, 1t is doubtful
whether prohibition at any time had
sufficient support to make it's en-
forcement really feasible. To be
even measurably successful a
sumptuary law of this character
must be able to command over
whelming public favor.
In Finland, as in the United
States, the forces demanding pro-
hibition were highly organized and
| they assumed to speak the pre-
| vailing sentiment BY the same
practices that are SO well known
here they were able to muster a
majority of the 200 delegates COM
posing the Diet. Thus entrenched
they were able to control legisla-
lation and mock public opinion.
The right to suffrage had been
extended to women, and 1t was rep
resented that they would brook no
change of any sort in the prohibit
tory law much less it's repeal. Poll
ticians believed that they were re-
flecting the wishes Of the great
majority when they lined them
selves up with the advocates of
enforced abstinence. But as con-
ditions with respect to attempted
enforcement became steadily worse,
the actual sentiment of the people
began to assert itself.
The Association Of Judges de-
nounced prohibition as wrong APP
proach to a solution of the liquor
problem. The mounting arrests for
intoxication and the growing dis
regard for other laws were noted
with apprehension. Parents ex-
pressed concern over the preVa-
lence of surreptitious drinking
among young people. The govern
ment, hard-pressed to balance the
budget, saw revenues that 1t might
easily obtain going to those fatten-
ing on the Illicit traffic. SO finally
it decided to consult public opinion
in the one sure way by ordering
referendum. Even IL 40 per cent
of the people should show them
, selves hostile to prohibition. the
government declared that this
would be sufficient to esta blish the
impracticability of enforcement.
And now what was assumed to
be a prohibition majority has sunk
to a minority of less than 80 per
cent. Some of this 80 per cent Is
dying hard and predicting that Fin
land will eventually return to pro-
hibition, but IL SO 1t will not be In
all probability. until the present
generation has passed from the
scene. The cabinet has called a
special session of the Diet for
January 10 to act on bill to re-
peal the present law and substitute
for 1t a system of strict regulation
and control through the medium
of a government-create corpora
ton, which alone would have the
right to import and dispense alco-
hoIic beverages. Thus will soon
ment noble in motive" 1t has