Evening star., 1932-10-01

President Nicholas Murray Butler OF
Columbia University has initiated a
great national debate by his plan for
handling the liquor business OF the
country, in the event that the prohlol..
ton amendment is repealed. some OF
his ideas impress those who comment
on the subject, and the question as to
what influence will be exerted by the
liquor trade is uppermoSt.
DIR. Nicholas Murray Buffers plan OF
liquor control, to be established after
the folly of Federal prohibition has been
ended, IS based on clear recognition OF
certain facts that should be generally
understood" in the opinion OF the
Haverhill Evening Gazette, which Is
inclined to agree with Butler that 1t Is
futile to attempt to retain any phase OF
Federal control of liquor" and doubts
that President Hoover, If he is re-
elected and if the anti-prohibition SEN
timent continues to increase, Will ad-
here to his stand for Federal protection
of prohibition States" Summing up its
understanding of DR.. Buffers sugges-
tions. the Hartford Daily Times says:
THE main idea is that there shall be
no saloons; that there shall be no COM
mercialization of the liquor business:
that liquor shall be manufactured and
sold under the control of State au-
thority which shall be non-partisan and
not subject to political influences; that
the net proceeds shall 60 to the state
treasury, and that the prices shall oe
SO arranged as to favor consumption OF
beer and wine, rather than spirits" AS
to the plan, this paper says: I'VE fear
that if the Butler scheme were adopted,
it would not work as well as ne hopes.
The moment Government forces up the
price of liquor, bootlegging becomes IN
evitable," it declares, pointing to Cana
dian experience for veriflcation. Be
tween the saloon and putting the Gov
ernment into the liquor business 1t Is
an open question which, IN the eno'
would prove the greater evil this Jour-
nal contends.
Paving a personal tribute to the pro-
ponent of this plan, the Salt LAKE
City Deseret News says: "One OF the
most brilliant intellects of the country
is possessed by DR.. Nicholas Murray
Butler whose nature is sympathetic
with numerous phases of human life
education, politics, diplomacy and So
cial improvement. No one would raise
| a question as to DR.. Buffers honesty
in his views on the liquor question, but
it does not require much Subtlety 70
discern serious f1aW IN MS lateSt pro,
posaI." Holding that private capital
viii use every means known to the
| human brain to prevent this profitable
| traffic from becoming State monop-
oily" the Deseret News predicts that
influences will be exerted on Legs
| latures such as we have not known
since saloons and breweries fought FOL
| political favors in our cities ano
States" With this pessimistic view
! the Boise Idaho Statesman agrees, de-
claring without wishing to condemn
[ the idea with a wave OF the hand
| the Statesman thinks 1t not impertl'
nent to point out several obvious flaws.
among which Is the certainty that "tht
opportunity for graft and corruption
under a State monopoly system woult
be great, as witness the experience o.
South Carolina with such plan, ar
experience ending in dismal failure.
To the suggestion that graft and cor
ruption have not characterized admin
istration of the Quebec law" this jour.
nal answers that lone must reluctantly
admit that Canada has never been vic
timized by corrupt off1ceholderS to thu
extent which our own United States
! has" The Hattiesburg American l
convinced that "the American peopl'
have too long disregarced the prohibi
ton law ever to observe any restrict
tions on sale Of liquor from specif1es
stationA"