Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-02-28
A Year Under Repeal.

a lear UnQer Repeal.
The unprecedented observer of the
first year under the new regulations
for control of the liquor traffic in the
District will hesitate to draw definite
conclusions regarding new social
trends on the basis of facts so far
available. He might conclude that
the showing is no better and no worse
than was to be expected, and
leave to the imprisoned advocates of
either side the selection Of morals
with which to adorn the tale.
But, as described in the news article
elsewhere in today's Star, there are
some facts which should appeal to
reasonable men and women as signifi-
cant. The increase in traffic accidents
attributable to intoxication on the
part of the driver or pedestrian is so
marked, here in Washington as well
as in many other sections of the coun-
try, that 1t cannot be dismissed or
apologized for on the ground that
such accidents represent a very small
proportion of the total. The menace
Of the drunken driver is increasing
and law enforcement officials can
spare no pains in dealing with 1t as
o menace.
The increased arrests for intoxica-
ton might be accepted as a reason
able index to increased drinking. The
figures here which deserve study are
those showing that the greatest per-
centage of increase in arrests for in
toxication Is found in the age group
between seventeen and twenty
years old. In this group the increase
was 81 per cent, as compared with
the increase of 34.6 per cent for the
group over twenty-one years of age.
In total numbers, of course, the arrests
for drunkenness in the latter group
far exceeds those of any other.
There will be general agreement
with the conclusion reached by
George w. Ofutt, chairman Of the
Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, of
the need for increasing emphasis on
temperance. Both vets and drys are
enlisted to fight side by side in the
battle for temperance. The vets, If
not already in all cases among the
enthusiastic supporters Of temperance,
are under the obligation of campaign
and platform promises to prevent the
return of the evils of the saloon and
to substitute what they consider real
temperance for what they have de-
nounced as intemperance under pro-
hibition. The drys, including those
who continue to regard total absti-
hence and future complete prohibition
as the only effective safeguard against
the evils of the traffic in alcohol, must
in the same spirit postpone the con-
tention that temperance and absti-
nence or temperance and prohibition
are synonymous and fight with all
their might to reduce at this time to
q minimum the evils of the use or
abuse of alcohol and of the alcoholic
traffic by the enforcement of a real
temperance which falls short of pro-
hibition and total abstinence. With
this combination in good faith of vets
and drys in the campaign for tenn
perance victory might reasonably be
expected to result.
AS far as the Districts liquor con-
troll law is concerned, the Alcoholic
Beverage Control Board has given in
dications of having begun its opera
lions with tendency to err. if at all,
on the side of liberality but to tighten
up in those directions that experience
with the law may indicate is wise.
The limitation on the maximum
number OF licenses for sale of hard
liquors for consumption off the prem
ises Is desirable move, for economic
as well as other reasons. This has
been the class of licenses which
showed the greatest increase, a fact
which contradicts the hopes of many
advocates of repeal for change in
drinking habits which would lessen
the consumption of hard liquors while
increasing the sale of beer and wine.
After a years experience, the A.
3. c. Board has suggested amend
ments to the control law which would
strengthen its hand in enforcement.
Such amendments should find quick
and sympathetic response in Con-
gress, and not be used as the medium
for weakening the law.