The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1936-08-27
SEEN and HEART
around the
NATIONAL CAPITALl
By Carter Field
FAMOUS WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT

STON "
ing prohibition 1t was concealed 49,
was probably worse than it is now.
They notice only what is thrust up
on their observation, and that, in
Portland, is very much like what
the movies would have us think
existed on the Barbary coast of
San Francisco in the wicked oil
days before the fire.
Ugly and Sordid
But even in those good old days
there, were lots of people in the
Golden Gate district who never
realized it was there - many more
who never saw it. No visitor saw
it unless he was taken there for
that purpose.
But in Portland no one going to
the union depot to take a train or
meet an incoming friend can miss
it. Between the station and the
heart of downtown is a distance OF
about five blocks. 1t is an old and
rundown section of the city, a typi-
cal fophouse section.
But on the first floor OF half OF
these flophouses are saloons-regu-
lar old bars, brass rails, dirty
floors, sloppy towels, and, very OBJ
viously, women only too anxious to
have some generous stranger buy
them drink or cheap meal.
And all this not concealed in the
slightest from the visitor walking,
or for that matter, riding by. Gone
forever is the swinging door, based
on the idea that it would let the
aroma of wet goods on sale watt
out, but conceal the identity of the
customers lest some angry wife
with Carrie Nation propensities in
wade the premises to prevent her
husband drinking up the rent
money
It's all open and above board,
whether it's on the level or not.
What cannot be seer does not re-
quire much imagination, and both
are calculated to WORE up to
frenzy the good folks OF this coun-
try who achieved prohibition in the
first place.
Canada Dryer Than u. S.
Despite the bitter complaints OF
American tourists in Canada at
finding that most of the places they
visit are dryer than the good old
United States from an alcoholic,
not drouth standpoint Canada
thinks she has the right solution Of
the drink problem. Particularly
the hard liquor problem.
Save for the permit idea, bor-
roWed from Sweden, the system is
not SO different from the home state
of Bishop Cannon. irginia, save
that the Virginia system is more
liberal on beer and wine.
Hard liquor must be bought in
government stores. The profit to
the government is excellent, but
the important element is that the
one feature, which worries students
of the problem more than any other
how to eliminate the profit motive
lis handled.
Liquor interests in the United
States admit frankly, when talking
confidentially that their main prob
lem is the greed of their own men,
bers for increased sales. Their
motive, OF course, is bigger vol
ume, less expense rer unit n d
greater total profit. It is the
motive in every line of business.
There is nothing peculiar about it
whatever except that in the case
of this one business increased sales
to the same customers m a n
drunkenness, n drunkenness
spells trouble in turn for the liquor
interests.
1t is a vicious circle, and the
liquor men themselves admit it. AS
matter of fact they are fright
ened to death of the many evil
dences of rising feeling against
| lnefn. 1ney are more AFRAID Oh
another prohibition tide than even
the most optimistic drys. would
dare to hope.
No Problem for Canada
Which revives a Lords day feel
ing which had been forgotten these
many years by most newspaper
men. Yet it was not until 1910 that
the city of Norfolk, Va, had a
morning paper on Mondaysl The
thought was that Sunday news
papers were all right they we're
printed on Saturday nights But
Monday morning newspapers were
bad--to get them out reporters and
printers had to work on the Sab
bath.
But in Canada there is no such
problem. At least there is no such
problem on the part of the retailer
who, American liquor interests sad
ly admit, is the worst offender. For
here the government. having q
monopoly does not seek in any
| NAV m caialp cnctOrnnrc infn Inv.