“Old Bill” Suggests—

Whether one be for or against the use of alcoholic beverages is aside from the question as to whether matters of drink, diet or divorce should be a national or a state concern. We believe firmly, and always have, that prohibition should have been left in the hands of the states.

But—granting that—the upper classes in the United States were false to their trust, neglected their responsibilities, and destroyed one of their own safeguards by failing to give loyal support to prohibition while it was on the statute books. The issue was law, not liquor.

Those who attended banquets that paid $1,000 a night to bootleggers were knocking stones out of the foundations of their own houses. They discovered only a part of the penalty when racketeers began to flourish. Today the same people who were amused by lawbreaking are jittery over the spread of radicalism.

They might well reflect on the words of one of the greatest characters in history, a wise, kindly, experienced Jew named Solomon, who said: “But whoso harkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.”

ROYAL F. MUNGER.