Evening star., 1933-09-30

Serious concern over control of hard
liquors after the repeal of prohibition
is exhibited by the public as it becomes
evident that the fate OF the saloon is
yet to be decided. Federal jurisdiction
has little support, while treatment in
the States is subject of debate, with
commissions at work in several Com
monwealths seeking solution of the
problem. Proposals that large tax reve-
nues be derived from beverages is met
with a large volume of caution empha-
sizing the danger of keeping the boot
logger alive if the price is made too
high.
Promotion Of temperance will be
sought by carefully devised methods OF
control" thinks the Baltimore Sun,
while voicing the warning that the
danger of encouraging illegal distribu-
ton of intoxicating beverages by tax
ing them too heavily is being generally
recognized by the States IN framing
regulatory laws" Agreeing with this
conclusion. the New York Times AYERS
that obviously the problem calls Tor
tax virtuosoship of the highest order"
Similar conclusions are drawn by the
Haverhill Gazette, the Roanoke Times,
the Springfield Union and the San Jose
Mercury Herald The San Jose paper
believes that "the common man can get
liquor only by cutting down his pur-
chases Of food, clothing, carpets, furni-
ture and other articles of personal or
household use. and liquor revenue Is
the most expensive form of taxation"
Virginias control commission is ad-
vised by the Richmond News-Leader
that it must "apply the experience OF
those countries that have found it pos
sible to restrict the sale of liquor in the
interest of temperance and, at the same
time, to avoid the open saloon" The
Milwaukee Journal thinks it advisable
for the States to assume the task OF
retail distribution at low price through
eliminating private profit, the price it
self to contain the tax" Seeing a grave
test, the New York World-Telegram
holds that failure to meet the test with
order, decency and preparedness would
be a lasting blot upon the anti-proh1bt-
ton victory" and that repeal involves
something besides taxes and tax relief
for self-respecting people"
There is no argument" contends the
Newark Evening News, "for cheap whis-
XIV, freely dispensed. The Washington
conclusion that the brewery-owned sa-
loon shall not return is sound. There
must be limitations. Some way Of keep
ing the number of dispensaries in pro-
portion to the population, and OF in
suring the industry against racketeer
or underworld control by system of
ntification-such as finger printing
the licensees and their agents-are not
impossible because of past failures.
Whatever the law will be or become, the
main responsibility will always rest on
the individual"
Americans who demanded removal
of national prohibition" says the Fort
Worth Star-Telegram, "are faced with
the subject Of practical, sensible. rea-
sonable temperance. The American
people never have needed the word more
urgently than now. We are applying
temperance to practically every item
within the category Of everyday affairs
and we are subscribing to the Blue
Eagle because temperance Is its code
system. That we should include 1t with
the repeal Of prohibition which pro-
hibited nothing except. possibly, tenn
perance in underworld operations, is the