New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-30
IN FRANCE.
EFFORTS OF THE SENATE AND PRESS TO
OVERCOME THE HALFMILLION
RETAIL LIQUOR DEALERS

GENERAL GALLIENIs EXPERIMENTS IN MAZDA
GAscAR-"ToTAL ABSTINENCE IN THE
TROPICS A MILITARY NECESSITY"
Paris. April II.
In no civilized country are the ravages caused
by the abuse of alcohol so disastrous as in
France. NJ. Poincare. who was recently Min
lister Of Public Instruction, estimates that the
victims Of alcohol"-that Is to say, those whose
in spirituous iquors"-average fifty thousand
In spurious liquors'-averaye fifty thousand
yearly. while in certain districts OF Normandy,
where the greatest amount Of alcoholic bev-
erages is consumed, the population" TO borrow
the smile of NJ. Cornely, rs melting away just
as did the red Indians Of America when they
began to use frewater."
Official statistics produced at the Interna-
tonal Anti-Alcohoic Conference, which closed
its meetings Saturday at the Ecoe de Mede-
cine, show that the quantity OF alcohol Of 100
degrees consumed in France yearly per head is
Ii. 10 litres. Belgium is second on the list with
1870 ltres per bead. Great Britain is third
with 9.25 litres per head. The consumption in
Switzerland, Italy and Holland is. respectively,
So $50 and % litres per head. In the United
States 6.10 litres is consumed per inhabtant.
The three most abstemious countries Swe
den. Norway and Canada, where the average
yearly consumption OF 100-degree alcohol per in
habtant Is, respectively, only 40. and
litres To make matters still worse for France,
the consumption Of alcohol is each year increas-
ing by leaps and bounds, while 1t is rapidly de-
creaslng in all other European countries except
Belgium, where 1t remains stationary.
In Paris alone there are $4,000 drinking shops.
not including the barrooms OF hotels and at the
railway stations, which is in the proportion OF
one drinking shop for three houses. In 1880
there were 356,S63 drinking shops in France.
In 1898 date OF the latest statstcs) there were
40. 800; that is to say. drinking shop for
thirty adults, for eghty-ive inhabitants, in
elusive of women and children. In the depart
ment of the Eure, which is the region where the
greatest quantity Of alcohol is consumed, there
is one drinking shop for eleven inhabitants. or
for three adults. 1t appears that the average
Frenchman In the course Of year drinks ~
litres OF brandy, absinthe or spirits; % ltres or
beer 70 litres OF wine and IS litres of cider.
which makes a total of 14.l0 litres of alcohol OF
100 degrees The amount OF money paid In
year over the little zinc counters OF these drink
ing shops is estimated at $50 100 600 000-a sum
which comes In a large measure out OF the pocK-
cts Of the working classes. These appalling fig
ureS are taken from the TepOrtS Hdue ny ~
Jacquet. OF the Faculty of Paris. and by DR..
Brunon director of the Rouen Medical School,
and seem to have thoroughly aroused public
opinion.
ALCOHOLISM IN THE ARMY.
The prevalence of alcoholism in the army has
been set forth by comprehensive papers drawn
up by General Gaeni. recently commander OF
the French troops in Madagascar. and by Lieu
tenant Gueysse, young artillery officer STA
toned at Versailles. Experiments made in
Madagascar and elsewhere in the colonies as
we'll as in France, prove that under all climates
and conditions the French soldier Is 40 per cent
more efficient when subjected TO a regime Of
total abstinence General Gallieni declares that
in the tropics "even bad water is preferable to
alcoholic beverages. and a large proportion OF
the sickness attributed to paludIan fever is In
reality due to alcohol" Moreover" continues
General GaIlieni during the recent campaigns
in Madagascar II has been conclusively demon
strated by actual experience in the field that the
soldier who Is deprived OF the use OF any alco-
holic beverage whatever is at least 40 per cent
more useful and efficient than when allowed
rations OF wine or spirits. In tropical climates
total abstinence is a military necessity Mod
crate indulgence is distinctly dangerous"
AS the climate OF Madagascar closely re-
sembles that OF the Philippines. the experience
Of General Gallieni may be considered as apply
ing to the United States troops campaigning IN
I,uzon. Lieutenant Guieysse considers that
great advance toward temperance in the French
Army has already been accomplished by con-
trolling the canteens. and b. replacing them In
MANY cases by refectories where tea, conee,
cocoa and other beverages replace alcohol But
even now states NJ Guieysse. by far the
greater portion Of the crimes or misdemeanors
for which the French soldier Is subjected to
punishment springs solely from drink"
THE TEMPERANCE CONGRESS.
The congress to discuss the most efficacious
means OF preventing the increase OF alcoholism
which has Just concluded It's sittings at the
Ecole de Medicine brought together men or
every political creed and religious faith. The
honorary president was Senator Thomas Rous-
gel. member OF the Academy Of Medicine. The
honorary vice-presidents were DR.. Brouadei'
dean of the Paris Faculty of Medicine; Mon
seigneur Turlnaz, Bishop Of Nancy. and M. MIL
Ierand the Socialis. free-th'nking Deputy or
pa ris all three OF whom sat side by side and fra
,srn,zed I'm their efforts 10 check what they feel
n be the most imminent danger that threatens
France Among the most eloquent speakers
were the Bishop OF Nancy and the Italian Prot
eatant preacher. Signor Rochat, while Jews.
Catholics. Protestants. and even atheists. lifted
their voices against the common enemy.
Senators Siegfried and Berenger have drawn
M a bill. which is already before the French
Legislature. with the object OF restricting the