Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-24
Millions Lack Necessaries.

Mr. Lloyd George, president OF the board
OIL trade. talks very plainly on the subject.
He is not a temperance agftator. but a
statesman and a political economist of high
reputation. He Is free trader. He said
the other day that 100000 people In the
united kingdom Of Great Britain and Ire
land habitually lack the necessaries OF life
and do not receive sufficient n0urishment to
supply the demands OF nature. The reason
for this, he declared. was the improvtdence,
the intemperance and the lack of thrift
among the working classes. Drink he said.
was responsible for IS per cent of the pow
erty in the kingdom: gambling was respon-
sfble for much more Of 1t. He announced
that the present government proposed to
take up the problem and endeavor to do
something to suppress or reduce the liquor
trahlc. He did not say what 1t was going
to do He merely made the general an
nouncement, which has caused great re-
joicing among temperance advocates.
The amount OF money. expended TOR
liquors in the united Kingdom is not given
in the official reports. but It can easily be
calculated by multiplying the number OF
gallons consumed by the average price OF
liquor. The London Times recently pub
llshed an estimate that the total drink bill
$S4S 90T, SOS. a reduction Of about $I3,000,-
OOO The total for 1905 was not given. The
falling off in the quantity consumed, now
ever. as shown by the official returns. IS
decrease in the expenditures. On that
basis the drink bill Of the British people In
1905 was nearly $D.OGO,00 less than IN
1908. There was an actual decrease IN con-
sumption Of nearly 32.Oo0GO0 gallons In
two years, which. at an average rate OF
$3.50 a gallon, means saving OF $oo,ooU-
OOO, chiefly among the working people. Ac-
cordins to the official figures 1oo,s15,s6S
gallons of all kinds of liquors were con-
sumed in 1903 and 70, 96O. $50 gallons in 1908.
This decrease was not entirely voluntary.
Business was very lively In 1903, owing
to the Boer war, and it was very dull In
1905 A large number Of worktngmen were
out of employment, and they buy the
whisky, the gin and the beer.
The average expenditure per capita IN
the united kingdom for drink In 1868 was
5000. In 1905 it was s1s.27-sounting
Scotland, Ireland and Wales. The econ
on,ists assert that 10 per cent Of the Brit
ish population are total a5sta1ners. chleny
women and children. Hence the expendi-
ture for liquor must be charged to the re-
naming IS per cent, which would raise the
average individual expenditure to about
nearly $40 year.
Gradual Decrease in Consumption.
The report of the commissioner of inland
revenue for 1905 shows a continual grad
ual decrease in consumption, and although
no reasons are given. the newspapers at
tribute 1t to one cause or another. accord
ing to their political bias. Whatever the
cause. the figures are gratifying. and It
may be hoped that the decrease is not tenn
porary, and is due to some extent at least
to a change for the better in the habits Of
the people.
total quantity of beer-Whjch Is tina priu-
cipal drink Of the working classes-con-
sumed in the united kingdom from June
80, 1850. to June 80. 1906, by years. also
1, .t<<r 81 lows o,,{t fI,ot iu
for every man. woman and child in the
population: