The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1935-12-30
NEWSPAPERS OPINION
TWO YEARS OF PROHIBITION REPEAL

administration fulfilled its campaign promise to re-
neal the 18th Amendment. little more than
wear ago DR.. John Haynes Holmes wrote for the
christian Century article on the subject, The
First Year of Repeal, in which he brought together
many facts concerning the disastrous results OF per-
hitting the liquor industry to be revived IN Amer
lea. This article created such widespread interest
that the "wets" felt it necessary to defend thera-
selves pointing out that it was inevitable that the
repeal of prohibition should produce initial excuses
and asking that judgment be withheld until time
had permitted necessary adjustments to be made.
In q recent issue of the "Christian Century," Dr..
Holmes writes again. under the title, THE Second
wear of Repeal" This second article brings together
q great mass of evidence proving that conditions
now are not only no better than year ago put
much worse. His conclusion is that two years or
,anea1 have established two facts "beyond all pos
s;biIitv of denial" The first is that ''the warnings
Of the sdrvs' as to what would happen if prohi5-
ton were abandoned have been confirmed down 10
the last lot and title" In fact, as he points out
the situation is even than the "drys" antlc-
pated. What had been overlooked was the tremen-
dous increase in the number of automobiles, which
increased the menace of the drunken driver many
fold over pre-prohibition days.
DR.. Holmes second point is that sit is evident
that the promises of the VETS have all been repu-
dated or else have failed" He says: "The saloon
was to go-but it is still here! The bootlegger was
to disappear-but he still fourshes! Crime was to
end-but it wakes ominously! Unemployment was
TO be reduced-but it does not bulge! Prosperity
was to return-but it still lingers Drinking was to
diminish-but it is worse than ever"
As result of DR.. Holmes careful studies, he
believes that thinking people everywhere are be-
coming more and more alarmed over the SITUATION
THE new prohibition movement" he says, has
started and within five years. city by city and state
by state we shall be recaiming wet territory" 1t
is his confident prediction that within the next
quarter of a century America will be ready for
another victory over the liquor traffic, and that
whether this coming victory is the final one or noC
the doom of the liquor business is inevitable as
Cwas that of the slave traffic of past generations
The College of Bishops of the Methodist Episco-
pal Church, South, at its recent meeting IN for'
Worth, issued an address to the church SUMMARY
ing the conditions that prohibition repeal has
brought about and urging both ministers and men,
bers to renew the fight against the evils of the
LIQUOR traffic. The address says in part:
Sufficient time has elapsed for fair comparl
son between conditions under national prohibition
and under the legazed traffic it now exists.
The secular press in its columns records daily
the failure of repeal The life insurance companies
publish accurate data setting forth the tragic con-
ditions which prevail throughout the country. The
official statistics of police and traffic departments
in our great cities show an alarming increase in |
traffic accidents in which liquor has played part,
in arrests for drunken driving and in arrests for
intoxicatiOn especially Of women and youth. We
would emphasize strongly the great Importance Of
the work which is being done by the board of edu-
cation and of lay activities of our churhccl!thefod
cation and of lay activities of our church They
are endeavorng to develop such an educative pro-
gram as will put in the hands of our young people,
of the teachers of day schools and church schools
of the professors in colleges and universities OF
pastors and public speakers, and of the editors Of
the secular and religious press such literature as
will demonstrate and emphasize the wisdom of total
abstinence and also the necessity for appropriate
legislation for the protection of society For while
fully recognizing the necessity of thorough temper
ance education and of the teaching of total ap-
stinence yet we insist that society has the right
and duty to legsate to protect itself from the evils
of the liquor traffic. We have quarantine fire.
traffic and sanitary laws to protect society SO we
must have laws to put the brand of the criminal
upon the liquor traffic, which is the enemy of the
entire economic, industrial and domestic life of our
people The pulpits Of our church be and
should be sounding boards to give the truth to our
people concerning the evils of the liquor traffic. 1t
is our hope, indeed our expectation that the pas
tors and members of our churches will be IN the |
forefront of every battle with this great enemy OF
the schools the home, and the church.-Christian |
Observer.