10 OCTOBER 1925, Page 17

IS PROHIBITION A FAILURE ? [To the Editor of the

SPECTATOR.]

Sra,—May I suggest to your correspondent, Mr. F. Adkins, that there is really no analogy between the consumption of wine and beer and the use of cocaine and morphia ; and further that to be ruled by expediency would be a poor sub- stitute for the reign of liberty ?

Mr. Adkins is correct in his assumption that I regard Prohi- bition as a failure. I justify this opinion by reference to official U.S.A. statistics, which record an increase of drunken- ness and crime since the introduction of Prohibition, and I consider it an unjust Act because it imposes sacrifices on the many for the faults of the few.—I am, Sir, &c., JAMES AGG GARD1VEX.

Cannon Club, Pall Mall, S.W. 1.