The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-06-02

voted, the popular --
sentiment for re- Lippmann
peal is OYeTWhelm
ing in all sections Of the country.
The question which the remaining
supporters Of the eighteenth
amendment have to ask themselves
is whether there is anything to be
gained by fighting a rearguard ac-
ton Of those relatively few states
where prohibition by constitutional
fiat still may be popular among a
Majority Of the voters.
They must know, or at least they
VIII be sure TO know by the end of
the summer, when fifteen more
states Will have voted that the mass
of the American people is in favor
Of repeal.
Nov, when these ma jorities have
1 ' been recorded. what future can
there be for the eighteenth amend
ment? Can any one believe that
public opinion will reverse itself
again? That the parties will re-
turn to the support Of the eight
zenith amendment? That congress
Will vote the money to enforce it.?
That the people who have voted for
repeal will observe prohibition?
No man who is practical about
these things can believe that There
Is only one conceivable way in
which national prohibition could
again become popular in this coun-
try That is, after the eighteenth
amendment has been repealed, the
liquor traffic to return.
Then, after ten years or so. it is
Just barely possible that the peo-
pie might come to believe in prohi-
bition. But as long as the eight
teenth amendment is not repealed,
the actual evils Of bootlegging will
count against all the possible evils
OF a legalized liquor traffic. and
nothing now imaginable can stop
the increase of sentiment for re-
peal
Those who look at the matte,
without prejudice must, therefore,
conclude, it seems to me. that moth
ing can be gained by delaying re-
peal
What can be accomplished by
delay? Almost surely it can not
prevent repeal. Very surely, delay
can not produce enforcement or
observance. On the other hand,
delay carries with it very definite
and real losses to the nation.
TITO delay repeal is to delay the
Il regulation of the liquor traffic.
In New York, for example, the state
is now putting into effect regula-
ton OF beer But it can do nothing
to regulate hard liquor.
Public sentiment will not tolerate
prohibition, and the eighteenth
amendment forbids the state to SUI
peryise and regulate and tax the
manufacture, distribution and sale
of hard liquor. Thus we have beer
business which is controlled and is
taxed.
The only way in which the hard
liquor traffic can be brought under
control is by repeating the eight
zenith amendment and restoring to
the state legislature its authority
to deal with the problem.
To delay repeal is also to deprive
the federal government, the states
and the localities, of revenues which
they urgently need.
This whole debate about new fed
eral taxes. whether there are to be
more income taxes, or sales tax,
or more nuisance taxes, will end as
soon as the eighteenth amendment
is repealed. Some estimates put the
revenues which could be obtained
from taxing alcoholic beverages as
high as a billion dollars year. Half
that amount would put the govern
ment and the taxpayers out of their
misery.
NOV, any one is entitled to be-
~ ieve that prohibition should
not be repealed. and no one ought
to vote for repeal just to reduce
taxes
But II repeal is coming. then it
is folly to delay it and thereby waste
the rich revenues which it could
immediately produce
Then it is certain that repeal will
provide substantial stimulus to
business recovery. For while plen-
~ Of liquor is now produced by
bootleggerS, repeal would revive a
legitimate industry which would
need new equipment new ma
chlnery. new plants
The legahzation Of beer is not the
main cause of the improvement in
business within the last two months
But it has helped. Repeal undoubt-
edly would produce substantial new
business within a very short time.
Again it should be said that no
man should sacrifice a moral prin-
ciple in order to help business. But
he ought not TO insist on fighting
for his principle by mere obstruction
when all he can achieve by it is to
delay a form of relief which would
greatly benefit his countrymen.
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