Evening star., 1945-03-23
Writer Likens Curfew
To Stort Of Dry Era

10 Stort or Dv Era
Asks If Returning Soldiers Will
See Liberties Infrinsed On
BY David Laurence
Is the national curfewp crusade the
beginning Of another national "prohibi-
ton" movement, and will the soldiers
In this war come home to find their
personal liberties infringed on as hap
opened to their fathers after the World
War?
This is q pertinent question because
of the mystery that envelops the sudden
demand for 12-o'clock closings of night
clubs and similar establishments
throughout the Nation on the ground
that this is necessary "to help the war
effort" Memories are short, but pro-
hibition of the manufacture and sale of
all intoxicating liquors by amendment
to the Federal Constitution started in
precisely the same way during the First
World War.
At that time the Government an
nounced that it needed certain ingredi-
ents used in the making of beer and
that hence its alcoholic content had to
be reduced. But the conservation of
malt and rye was relatively unimpor-
tant. What was significant was the ease
with which the change was effected
through the simple issuance Of a war
time regulation on the use of materials
allegedly needed in the war effort.
Advocates of prohibition were
promptly encouraged and they influ-
enced State after State to ratify the
prohibition amendment, so that when
the soldiers came back home many said
they felt something had been put over
on them"
Another DRY" Movement?
Has the country experienced a change
OF heart about prohibition" and is the
time ripe for another dry" movement
to take hold? The readiness with which
the national curfew is accepted is sur
prising-without so much as q con-
gressional investigation to find out the
facts as to just what energy or ma
terials are being saved for the war
effort by one or two hour curtailment
or what damage is being done to the
Nations morals by bringing in boot
Logging and midnight carousing in
private apartments and speakeasies.
This correspondent can take an i'm
partial position in the matter because
he favored the Eighteenth Amendment
and opposed its repeal. But any one
who reported the ups and downs Of that
Nationwide controversy for nearly IS
years could not fail to observe that the
merits or morals of drinking intoxi-
cants became obscured in the larger
question of crime and bootlegging and
the failure of local law enforcement
agencies to enforce law against which
public sentiment was SO strong.
Today the Federal Government, pos
sessed of wartime powers, is going from
the frying pan into the fire. Without
taking into account local conditions, it
imposes uniform curfew. 1t does not
consult the local authorities. Then
when one city balks, the Federal Gov
eminent, almost in pique, takes it out
on the servicemen and orders them not
to frequent drinking places after mid
night.
Now If there Is one thing that a serv-
iceman thinks he is entitled to, it is to
use his furlough or leave time as he
pleases. Military police are present in
most big cities to take care Of disorder
but not to instruct servicemen on the
use of their leave. If it is proper for a
soldier to drink before midnight, it is
proper for him to do so after midnight.
It Is no business of the War or Navy
Departments except when he is on duty
or returns to duty in an intoxicated
condition.
Invasion Of Private Rights.
If it be within the power Of the War
and Navy Departments to keep soldiers
out of all restaurants that serve liquor
after midnight, it is within the power
of the authorities also to keep them out
Of private apartment houses, clubs and
even private homes where liquor may
be served.
This invasion of the private rights of
the soldier in this war may be scofIed
at by the Government inspired edito-
rails in newspapers published by the
armed services abroad, but when the
troops get back and understand what
is happening they will not regard it as
just a bit of home-front irritation over
q wartime inconvenience They will see
the infringement in its true light.
The chief difficulty with the present
administration Is that it is not frank
with the people. No matter how worthy
the purpose of restriction. the admin
istration too often wraps itself up in
the phrase wartime necessity" and sub.
stitutes mysterious silence for candor.
The earlier closing Is not Of conse-
quence in itself. for 1t can be easily cir
cumvented by liquor drinking in private
places, but what Is important is the
indirect technique by which the Federal
Government seeks to legislate on the
morals of servicemen and the citizens
OF the country by using wartime reg
ulations.
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Stirring in the South