WRONG ANTIDOTE

Apparently history has no lessons (Nov. 15). The legendary explosion
of violence in the 1920s was caused not by the decriminalization of
alcohol but by the criminalization of alcohol. It was not cured by
redoubling enforcement but by re-establishing a legal and regulated
industry.

Had the nation continued Prohibition, the Herald today would be
reporting stories of murders caused by alcohol deals gone bad and
disputes among bootleggers while piously cautioning its readers that
drinking a beer is "not a victimless crime."

Andy Gaus, Boston