Prohibition in America

‘‘When prohibition came into force in America on July 1,’’ said a business man who was in the country at the time, ‘‘every bar and saloon was shut up and the people at first seemed to be settling down quietly to the inevitable. In three weeks, however, the bars began opening here, there, and everywhere. In some places the police interfere, and in others they don’t. It is just wonderful how the law is flouted in many ways. Undoubtedly a certain class of the people is making strong efforts to upset prohibition before the constitutional amendment comes into

force.’’ Hints of gingerale that was not gingerale, and of teapots that did not contain tea, seemed to suggest that it would not be a very difficult matter after all to obtain a drink in ‘‘dry’’ America. ‘‘There are ‘moonshiners’ all over the country,’’ he said, ‘‘but I did not test the popular saying to put your dollar on the stump and see the moon shining the next day.’’

As to the effect of prohibition on industrial life, the visitor said he had been too busy with other matters to take much interest in the liquor question, but sea captains had told him that they could get their ships away from prohibition ports much more easily than from such ports as Auckland and Wellington, and so seafaring men were in favour of it. He spoke laughingly of the Canadian permit system, and said that in Vancouver he had seen men and women, whites, blacks, and Indians, all lined up outside the Government depot waiting to draw liquor on a medical permit.