Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 17.djvu/627

 PROHIBITION 611 PBOHIBITIOK

to be taking down the last barrier against Federal intelligently than they have hitherto done. The

encroachments upon local Uberty, and making of first thing which an American must note with

the old-time "sovereign State" a mere geographical humiliation is that in Europe the intricate prob-

unit in a huge political homogeneity, with a head lems associated with liquor laws are not left to the

at Washington possessing limitless powers. If this mercy of the propagandist or interested legislator,

be true, and it seems incontrovertibly so, then Europe attempts* at least to clear the way through

Prohibition has not merely abolished hquor but it scientific ^enquiries by men of eminence and

has altered that concept of government as framed authority. For instance, in France the French

by the Fathers of the Republic and substitutes Academy of Medicine has long labored with it.

something which would nev^r have been accepted France was likewise one of the prime movers in

by the signers of the Constitution had the}^ fore- the formation of the International Committee for

seen its possibility. It marks a change in the the Scientific Study of the Alcohol question. Nor-

whole eoncept of government in the United States, way, once the most intemperate of nations, has.

For these reasons Prohibition cannot in any through its Alcohol Commission, put through what

sense be termed a fcdt accompU in the United is perhaps the most intelligent alcohol legislation

States, because the struggle is no longer between in the world. European intelligence has been far

decency and the saloon, which has passed away ahead of American, which so far has never ap-

forever, but between lovers of liberty or of consti- proached the subject with scientific calm, but has

tutional guarantees of the same and what seem to handed it over to crude fanatics and equally crude

them a tyrannical band of fanatics. On the side and often politically corrupt legislators. The result

of lighter wines and beer are found as many up- is that Europeans do achieve some real results in

right and religious people as can be mustered by the way of temperance, while we flounder around

the Prohibitionists. There is a respectable element in a hopeless tangle of a multitude of laws which

(how numerous it is hard to say) which feels that are only more or less obeyed and with an ever

the question has not been settled justly and wisely increasing bitterness against such laws,

in spite of the Eighteenth Amendment, and this The second point noticeable in European meth-

clement is apparently determined to fight until a ods is their wisdom in confining their energies to

just decision be reached, not only as regards the the abolition or at least drastic control of strong

mere question of drink, but still more so as re- distilled spirits like vodka, whiskey and brandy, but

rards the more important questions of liberty and allowing a reasonable liberty in favor of theb^ter

States rights as opposed to a Federal Socialistic fermented beverages like beer and wine. It is un-

fovernment. All that one can say now is that the deniable that the drink problem goes hand in hand

drink question is far from being settled. with distilled spirits; that sobriety goes hand in

(2) Europe. — No European country has yet hand with light wines and beer. Take, for in- adopted Prohibition as such. At the beginning of stance, France. Fifty or sixty years ago France the ^eat War Russia, by a hasty imperial decree, was one. of the soberest countries of Europe, though abolished the manufacture and sale of vodka, every Frenchman drank wine every day. Now, it which act was hailed by Prohibitionists as a great has come up very high in the list of alcohoUcs. the victory for their cause. But it should be noted reason being simply that according to all autnori- that the local commimities were still allowed the ties, various forms of distilled liquors have more

Erivilege of local option in regard to other alco- and more supplanted wine as a national beverage,

olic drinks of a milder form, like beer and wine. The same is true for Italy. So long as the Italiims

So also Finland attempted Prohibition in 1909, but stuck to their wine, they had absolutely no drink

was prevented from putting it into effect by the problem. Neither had Spain and Portugal, but

Russian authorities, and even that attempt permit- these historically sober countries how have a drink

ted light beer. Likewise Iceland, a Danish colony, problem due to the increasing use of whiskey, a

with less than 80,000 inhabitants, in 1915 adopted custom introduced chiefly by returning emigrants

a drastic Prohibition similar to that in the United from America. Europe, therefore, with admirable

States, but it allowed spiritous drinks containing prudence and with good results is concentrating its

2V4 weight per cent of alcohol, and, moreover, energies upon strong spirits and endeavoring to

latest news asserts that a reversal of this law has bring its wine and beer drinking peoples to their

taken place in the 1922 elections. The whole situa- old sober ways.

tion is too insignificant and uncertain to warrant From all this the United States can learn some

its citation as an exception to the above general wisdom in handling its drink problem. It cannot

assertions. Outside of the United States, there- hope to reach any permanent results until it first

fore, only Mohammedan countries enjoy the theo- places the study ancl control of the problem in the

retical honor of being Prohibitionary, though even hands of men who, by experience and scientific

there practice, as usual, does not follow theory. It study, are qualified to handle it. It will forever

is interesting to note in this connection that the remain an acute problem, prolific of evils, so long

Prohibition question has come to some prominence as it is left to the mercy of emotional fanatics or

in Turkey, owin^ to the more liberal Moham- timid and perhaps corrupt legislators, the former

medans interpreting the Prophet's forbidding of of whom take no account of psychology and the

"wine" as referring strictly to "wine" — hence their latter of whom take account only of votes. Only

indulgence in beer, whiskey and brandy, a casuistry in this way can the problem be shorn of the emo-

which rules out even Mohammedans from the list tional frenzy and political corruption and bitter

of absolute Prohibitionists. Moreover, Moham- feeling which now characterize it here on both

medanism with its polygamy can hardly be held sides. It will remain insoluble so long as Ameri-

up as a moral criterion for Christian civihzed cans persist in their crude methods of letting it be

peoples. handled by amateurs. Such a view should, it would

But, Europe has its drink problem, all the more seem, meet with universal approval of sane men.

acute since the war. A detailed review of it in It is the opinion, likewise, of an ever-increasing

every country is not possible here, but it is well to number of observers that America should follow

note two characteristics of the European way of the example of Europe in permitting the reasonable

dealing with the problem, in the hope that a study use of wine and beer, while repressing the stronger

of them will help. Americans to handle it more spirits. Every person of decent moral standards,