“I have no objection to the abolishing of strong drink--such as brandy and whisky, but it is idiotic hypocrisy to believe that a hundred million people should change their custom overnight. Did you ever think it over? If the customs of a nation can be changed overnight, at the command of a few, what sort of stuff must the people be made of? “I can see where an individual here and there could give up voluntarily a customary indulgence for a short time, as we often do around New Year’s, and then it is a matter of testing one’s power of will, but it is beyond conception to believe that an entire nation can be dictated to, and made to abide by a law that makes it a crime to indulge in a glass of four per cent. beer when the day before it was within the law to consume one hundred proof.” “No, Carl, you haven’t got that quite right!” “And why not?” “You can drink all you want, or rather, can get. All the liquor you, or any other wealthy and wise man, may have stored away in your cellar is yours for the drinking. The law does not specify that you must not drink it. It is not criminal to try it, but it is illegal to sell or transport it to your home.” “That is idiotic!” shouted Carl. “But it is a fact,” came the retort. “This would favor, no doubt, the well-to-do, who are well able to pay the price of replenishing their private stock.” “Of course. The poor devil cannot afford a cellar full. His stock at best, no doubt, is a flask on his hip--if he has the coin, and then he runs the risk of being arrested for having it on him. They could even take his trousers away from him, if they felt like living up to the very letter of the law. His trousers would be termed the vehicle of transportation. “That is the one reason why so much home-brew is being made. Some of it would make a rabbit fight a bulldog, but the people want it--and they pay the price. As you know thousands have died drinking the stuff.” “Too bad. But what about our government which caused this law to be passed?” “It is responsible for all this misery, for the lawlessness, that is seen on every hand. It is just as much responsible for such conditions as England was when she forced upon China the use of drugs. You know, China did not want the drugs, so England warred upon her, with the result that millions of Chinamen have died from the use of the drugs. “Then, too, for years the unscrupulous Chinamen, or his agents, sells the drug to the ever increasing American trade. It is stated that since our country became dry, more of the deadly drugs are used here than in all other countries of the world combined.” “And the government at Washington stands for that? Impossible!”