"Bear in mind that prohibition, as I understand its application in the United States and Canada, is largely rural, while these figures I have given refer to the cities. They compare with your and the Canadian claims in the prohibition areas of reductions of about 66 per cent.
"One of the first points to bear in mind in grasping the situation here is that in the years immediately preceding the outbreak of war, the consumption of alcohol and the number of convictions for public drunkenness were steadily increasing.
"Also, in the past, good trade has always coincided with an increase in consumption of alcohol, which it is disappointing, therefore, to realize that in 1910-14, increased taxation of alcohol, the temperance propaganda, and the licensing regulators in which heretofore had resulted in an average annual diminution of about $200 per year, has not been sufficient to just act the influence of good trade and high wages." 