Show n V WET AND DR DRY Y Factions Fight Over Statistics ICS Those irreconcilable enemies the wet and dry forces in the U. U S S S. fought out the legal liquor question in local option elections in 21 states last year then went at each other hammer and tongs in in a battle of statistics Distilling industry spokesmen claimed that 1947 brought the first wet gains since repeal Prohibition groups countered that the past 12 months produced new victories for their campaign to dry up the country by taking one community community community com com- at a time Outcome of the statistical fight may may never be clearly defined because because because be be- cause the wets used population figures figures figures fig fig- ures to back up their claims while the the- drys counted geographical areas A net gain of about persons persons persons per per- sons in the wet population those population those living in the areas where sale of hard liquor is legal was legal was rep by the Distilled Spirits institute It said it has official figures from state governments showing that the steady dry pro progress ress of the past 14 years was halted and even reversed in 1947 In 1945 said a spokesman local option elections dried u up P areas in which Americans lived In 1946 there was a gain in the total dry population of But this year the tables were turned and the wet population showed an increase for the first time since 1933 However Mrs D. D Leigh Colvin of the Women's Christian I Temperance union and Laura ley Icy y research Lindley Lindley Lindy Lind- Lind I Saloon le secretary of the AntiI Anti Anti- league ague were no less ment ment in vehement vehement reporting d dry during g 1 1947 9 47 successes Mrs Colvin estimated that the number of legally d dry areas jumped lumped about during as a result of local g the ye year r Miss option elections s Lindl Lindley said y the Anti Salo Saloon Anti league had on not yet survey eY of liquor election completed its added that a results but 15 states showed preliminary report ondry on dry com communities a net gain of on factions n The only opposing factions were agreed one point that point that year would the cure current ant bring battles battle s in jn states m more ore hard for hard fought h ships and d wards counties town on th the local a question of prohibits prohibition OA |