National Affairs: M. Maurois

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Andre Maurois, able French author (Ariel, Disraeli), is adept at picking representative material—albeit trite—in order to write a book, to father an essay. Deftly, for the New York Times, he took the main points for and against Prohibition, dangled them before the reader's eye, then put them away, told what dangling Prohibition arguments have taught him. Says M. Maurois:

"I believe, everything considered, that I should retain the Eighteenth Amendment (because I could not do otherwise) and that I should resolve to apply it. I should continue the suppression of the saloon and of all public sale of alcohol. I have never seen the American saloon, but judging from what I have heard of it, it was a dangerous institution. On the other hand, I should try to induce Congress to amend the Volstead act so as to permit the private consumption of wine and beer in the states which desire it. But I should place a heavy tax upon these beverages which would bring in revenue for the Treasury and at the same time prevent drinking from becoming excessive. . . ."