New-York tribune., 1907-11-24
TEMPERANCE ABROAD.

II is not only south of Mason and DiXOns
line nor only in the United States that prohi-
bitiOn and other forms Of temperance work are
being pushed. The countries of the Old World,
or some of them, are feeling the same impulse.
and are making or proposing some extraordi-
nary measures fOr the abatement Of the drink
ing evil. II supposed years ago that the So
called GOthenburg system In Sweden was Il
permanent solution of the problem, but re-
Gently it has been deemed necessary to revise
that system in a radical manner. In Great
Britain in some way a marked decrease in the
consumption of liquors Is noted. and measures
are in contemplation for promoting that process
/ through Parliamentary or local enactments.
Now come reports to the same effect from Ger
many. The Prussian Minister of Justice is lead
ing movement for the abolition of compulsory
beer drinking among university students, and
even TO discourage voluntary guzzling, while
formidable petition has been presented to tho
government for the separation of sober and
drunken persons railroad trains by the use
of special cars, though there seems to be some
uncertainty whether the cars should be re-
served for those who are sober or for those
who are tipsy.
Up in Finland the most remarkable anti-aIco-
lolc legislation of all has actually been enacted
and now awaits the Grand Dukes approval
which 1t may not receive largely because of
woman suffrage and the spread Of the Social
ist propaganda. the most stringent prohibition
bill record has been passed by the Diet This
amazing measure not only fOrbids all manufact-
ure or sale Of spirits, beer and wine but 1t
prohibits any traffic in alcohol of any kind
save through n strict government monopoly
Churches are forbidden, under heavy penalties,
10 use wine in the communion service. People
who had wines in their possession before the
enactment of the law may continue TO hold
them, but any one hereafter acquiring any
liquors will be subject to fine and imprisOn-
ment The police and other officials are author
lied, without special warrant and on mere
suspicion, 10 enter and search any house for
liquors. Any ship entering Finnish waters
with 4 cargo consisting largely OF alcoholic
liquors will be seized and confiscated. All the
breweries, distilleries and liquor stores and
shops In the country must at once go out Of
business, without compensation. Indeed IN
framing the law the Diet seems really to have
acted upon the exhortation of one of its men,
bers, Baroness Grlpenberg, to 'leave reason
aside and let sentiment prevail"
These things at least serve to emphasize the
point which we have frequently made in these
columns, that complaints of purltanism and
fanaticism in this country as contrasted with
the liberalism OF Europe are not altogether we'll
founded. More than one European country is
taking even more advanced ground in temper
ance reform than has been proposed here We
cannot recall any American prohibition law as
stringent that which Finland is seeking 10
establish. When in one of our states il was
discovered that through inadvertence the law
was so drawn as possibly to prevent the use of
wine at the communion services of churches it
was quickly and generally conceded that an
amendment must be made so that there would
he no interference with worship. But in Fin
land the clause expressly banishing wine from
the communion table was purposeiy inserted
into the bill. The interference with personal
liberty" in gsumptuary matters is far more