Evening star., 1936-03-07
Figures on Crime Show
Increase Since Repeal

To the Editor OF The Star: F."
A letter in press recently suggested
that an examination of official statistics
would show that conditions in WASH
ington, d. c., had improved since repeal
of prohibition. Unfortunately, she failed
to cite any figures in support of the
assertion. Data from ofiicial sources
would seem to indicate quite the con-
trary trend, SO far as offenses in the
District of Columbia related to the use
of liquor are concerned, even when we
make the comparison with the year
most unfavorable to prohibition.
While the period under repeal has
been too short to furnish many statistics,
1t has definitely established that liquor,
legal or illegal, consumed in q saloon,
a speakeasy or a cocktail bar, produces
the same social evils; that the trend is
toward greatly increased liquor con-
sumption, as shown by the fact that the
consumption of distilled spirits and
wines containing over IA per cent of
alcohol increased Is per cent in WASH
ington in the year ending February !,
1896, as compared with the preceding
year; that control is not controlling, as
is shown by the fact that arrests for all
causes in Washington jumped from
1OO,775 during the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1882, the last year under ma =
tional prohibition, to 1O4725 in 1898,
1859 in 1884, the first year of repeal,
and to l32,lO8 in 1885, or 81 per cent
in three years. The Justice Department
reports that the population of Federal
prisons as well as court commitments
reached the highest point in our national
history in 1885.
Arrests for intoxication in Washington
under prohibition reached their peak in
193l-l6.408. In 1884, the first year Of
repeal, intoxication arrests numbered
22,773, and in 1885, 22,589. Commitments
for intoxication formed SOB per cent of
the total jailed in 1892, rising to 62.7
per cent in 1894 and to GIG per cent
in 1885.
Much Is made of the decrease in
arrests for intoxication In Washington
in very recent months. At least two
reasons can be assigned for this. The
Police Court has inaugurated campaign
of imposing long sentences upon IRE.
peaters," thus lowering the number
brought before the court each week.
Then the police received an order to
they entered one of the new-style saloons
and secured more liquor. In this way
evidence could be secured without en-
trapment against dealers for selling to
intoxicated persons. Meanwhile, the
drunks add to the traffic hazards.
Arrests for drunkenness among
women of Washington increased 30.3
per cent In 1884 and 535 In 1885 over the
number reported for 1882. The increase
is greater among white than among
colored women. About two-thirdS of the
women arrested for drunkenness do not
stand trial, as many of them are of the
upper middle class" who can afford to
patronize the night clubs and cocktail
bars and forfeit collateral rather than
appear in court.
Drunkenness among young men and
women between II and 2l showed con-
siderable increase also. Compared with
1882, the increase among young men was
1874 per cent in 1888, 42.3 per cent in
1894 and $50 per cent in 1885. Among
young women between II and 81 the
increase in arrests for drunkenness in
1888 over 1892 was 10.4 per cent; in 1884,
3l.2 per cent, and in 1885, 583 per cent.
AIIcSIS lOI OINAk 1CdCAlSO
389 in 1913, thereafter decreasing pro-
gressively to 224 in 1888. With the COM
ing of repeal the figure rose to 288 in
1884 and 35l in 1885.
There is good reason for mothers to
feel concern over the trends under repeal.
The Government, from the highest offi-
cials down, complacently computes
license revenue, but minimizes the social
havoc wrought by liquor. Advertising
over the radio and in the press urges
the young and non-users to drink. 1t
is held out as the smart" thing to do,
and young people are made to feel that
|" they are peculiar and can have no real
social life" unless they join the cocktail
crowd.
Washington, without the vote. depends
upon the Congressman elected in the
States for the kind Of government it gets.
When parents in the States become suffi-
GENTLY aware of the social havoc of the
legalized liquor traffic to elect men who
value the pure gold of moral and social
welfare of all the people instead of the
fools gold of revenue, then they may
feel reassured in sending their children
to Washington or any other city, know
ing that If they meet temptation 1t will
not be because the Government Is
spreading the net for the innocent and
the unwary. LAURA LlNDLEY.