SUNDAY MAGAZINE
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, SUNDAY, MARCH 16, 1924
To Secure More Effective Prohibition Enforcement
We print below the essay which won MILTON DREYFUSS imposed laws was naturally held in
for Milton Dreyfuss the fourth prize more or less high repute. This con-
in a national essay contest of which been proverbially hard upon the pea- government spy, the soldier's bayo- eption of government they brougt
the Intercollegiate Prohibition Asso- plc. To these foreigners upon our net. Law evasion in their own coun- with them to this country, and in the
cation were the purveyors. If there shores the term government brings to try was consequently not frowned fastnesses of their colonies and "ghet-
are any on the caopus who have opin- mihd not an institution created by so- down upon, instead the man who toes" they retain these ideas. This
ions to offer on the opposite side of ciety for its own good but rather could surcessfully outwit the super- foreign view that law is oppressive
the question we shall be Interested. brings to mind the policeman, the imposed government with its super- and hence to be violated as far as
What methods and policies shall possible must be supplanted with the
we who favor Prohibition adopt in idea that in democratic countries gov-
order to bring about its better and ernment and law are means employed
more vigorous enforcement? How by society to promote its own wel-
may we most easily bring those now fare and the welfare of its individual
opposed to Prohibition over into our members. These foreigners must be
ranks, and what means shall be used helped to realize that all laws-ir-
to cause that part of the public who respective of their nature-demand
already favors the 18th Amendment to enforcement if a democratic nation is
more actively demand and assist in to long survive. This realization, this
its -enforcement? Such are the pri- tnAmerican viewpoint, can be best in-
tary questions the answers to which culcated to these foreigners through
this paper attempts to sketch, with what we now terns as the Americani-
the answers because of the prescribed zation movement. The support of this
word limit of this essay necessarily a movement, broadly speaking, thus be-
being only in broadest outline. comes not only the duty of all Asmeri-
In a democracy such ' 'urs, a form I cans, but especially at this time of
of government that is responsive in - Prohibitionists. For when once the
a large degree to the wishes of Its f great foreign colonies of our cities
citizenry, the enforcement of any law are brought to the realization of the
depends largely upon the amount and necessity and value of law enforce-
the intenily of Public Opinion behind msent, then the Prohibition laws as
it. In all governments-but especially a corporate part of American Law will
in democratic countries-Public Opin- be less and less violated, Thus Ameri-
ion is the all-powerful but invisible canization through its emphasis upon
sovereign. This responsiveness Ito the duties of the "good citizen"--
Public Opinion in the United States ] among which is obediance to law-
is brought out in the Report of the will tend to bring about more effective
Committee of the Judiciary of the Prohibition. In aiding the American-
mHouse, c5h Congress, (Dec. 14, 1917) ization movement, Prohibitionists will
which dealing then with the submis- be aiding their own cause. Similar-
ion of the proposed Prohibition ( ly, compulsory education laws should
amenndnent to the legislatures of the be strongly backed by Prohibitionists
several states says, "Your committee X for statistics show that there are more
feels it incumbent upon Congress to law violations of all sorts among those
submit the (prohibition) issue to the who possess the smaller degree of
states with the view of ratification education.
thereof, since more than half the states It is an unfortunate fact that be-
in the Union have declared in favor sides these foreigners there is a cer-
of Prohibition, since 85 per cent of tain percentage of the so-called "na-
the territory of the United States has tive" and "naturalized" Americans
outlawed the saloon, since approxi- I who could likewise stand some real
mately 10,000,000 of our people resid- \ Americanization. Ttieir American-
ing in all sections of the Union have zation can best come through the
petitioned directly for Its passage." In press, pulpit, and school. Of them
short, as Public Opinion was neces- the Houston (Texas) Chronicle of re-
sary to secure the enactment of the cent date says, "It appears not to have
Prohibition amendment, so is Public occurred to them that any obligation
opinion likewise necessary to secure rests upon them as members of' the
the law's enforcement. The enforce- body social and politic to aid in
ment of Prohibition resolves itself to achieving the end (Prohibition) aimed
the winning of Public Opinion. Our (lt$C,1;?IM at. They seem to think that because
endeavors to win this all-powerful A9 AT1VVIPW they do not favor the policy adopted
weapon will take us to fields appar- 1p MWD OVeR by entirely constitutional and legal
ently remote from the problem of ef- methods, in response to clearly mani-
fective Prohibition enforcement, but fested popular sentiment and desire,
a closer analysis of these fields will that not only are they absolved from
reveal an actual relation between them I any obligation to assist by precept or
and the successful solution of the example the enforcement of the law
problem confronting us. -the will of the people-but that, so
It is generally admitted that the far as is safe, they are at moral liberty
to evade It and to assist in Its evas-
weak spots in Prohibition enforce- ROBERT B. HENDERSON Io tat it an ake strn ink
ment, the places where enforcement ion; that if they canmake strong drink
is most difficult and organized at- Eleanor Duse is now sixty years old, dren. . . Therefore, ladies and gentle- without danger of detection they have
pta to evade the law most common, her face is deeply lined and her neck men, I again take great pleasure in the right to do so;. that if they can
are our big cities. In this connection, paihfully corded, yet critics the world presenting Mr. Kenneth MacGowan buy it from those who make it un-
the Literary Digest of January 14, over agree that even today she is the and his article in the January number lawfully, if they can help conceal the
1922, says, "But it (the violation) is world's greatest artist. By a fortunate of the Theatre Arts Magazine: manufacture of the traffic in strong
not general. All this tremendous ma- combination of circumstances she is "Before the fifty-two weeks of 1923 drink, they have the right to do so,
chinery for making, smuggling, and able to play in Detroit for one evening, are passed New York will have seen "Such a conception of social duty
delivering liquor exists only for a Monday, March 24, in "The Closed the art of the three most powerful and moral obligation is radically and
few spots on the map:-New York, Door" by Marco Praga. figures of the European stage-Stan- viciously harmfully erroneous. If it
San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, places It would be presumptous and im- islavsky, Duse, and Reinhardt. Two were sound, then the enforcement of
like these. . .. The spirit of viola- pertinent on my-part to write of such other modern women and one more every law would depend upon whether
tion which is so conspicuous in a few a brilliant personality without hay-, woman share with them the crown every part of th people approved it.
centres is absent from the great ing witnessed her work, so I take of the modern theatre; Chaliapin No government, especially a demo-
stretches of the country. .. ." The great pleasure-as the speakers say- and Isadora Duncan have been fre-! cratic-republican government, could.
outstanding reason, I believe, why in presenting the appreciation of a quent visitors to the United States, possibly exist effectively, if such a
our large cities constitute the breaks gentleman who, after all, is far more while no stage has seen more of the conception found expression in its ad-
in our Prohibition dam is their large convincing than I am. The appear- Achillesian Craig than the American. ministration. If a man is not under
percentage of foreign population. To ance of Duse is an opportunity that Six great artists of the theatre leav- both the legal and moral obligation
the great mass of these newcomers must not be missed, and to this end ing their impress upon our stage, and, to respect and obey the law, then the
to America, government has been it is permissable to beg, borrow, or of them all, none so impressive as the enforcement of law is a futile form-
synonymous with oppression,-for the steal the necessary funds to attend frail lady with the dun cheeks who alily.
recent immigration has come mainly her performance. It is an occasion makes us live with beauty. "Prohibition of the manufacture and
from Eastern and Southeastern that, fifty years from now, you will be "Arthur Symons once spoke of Duse sale of liquor is not the result of any
Europe where the governments have telling your envious great-grandchil- (Continued on Page Seven) (Continued on Page Two)
'A