The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-06-14
WASHINGTON
LE R

\ C
drunkard stop a moment and reflect
are in the possession Of Or. Arthur
MeDonsld, of this city. an expert psy.
chologist and crlm!nologT. They
represent the latest figures in the
grim struggle with Demon Rum, and
every figure has a scientific ,alue and
a sociological suggestion.
Americans" DR.. Mcdonald sald In
an interview to-day, need stimular,s
less perhaps than any other civilized
people, for the climate and life with
It's changeabIeness, uncertainty and
haste are sttmulants enough. 1t is
generally admitted that II you give
whiskey to the American Indians they
soon act Ike crazy men. They are
new soil and unaccustomad to alcohol
just as they are to measles, which is
quite fatal to them On the other
hand, the Latin races have become so
accustomed to the use Of alcohol that
drunkenness among them is at a min.
imum. Now the American people
seem to stand about midwty between
the maximum susceptibility OF the
Indian and the minimum susceptibility
OF the Latlns. The American Is in a
dangerous position II he uses alcohol.
for experience seems to show that he
is more likely to lean towards the
maximum than the minimum. The 50
called moderate. drinker is more or
less myth"
DR.. McDonald's arraigument of King
Alcohol includes the latest census sta.
tistics, showing that the percentage of
prisoners committed for drunkenness
in the whole United States in the last
ten years was s2.2. The North Allan.
tic and the North Central States have
the highest percentages Of commit
! ments-S9.8 and ZIG, and the South
Atlantic, S.S and so, respectively, the
lowest The Western States have G.S.
DR.. Mcdonald, however. thinks these
figures do not represent the total on
account Of leniency. and the fact that
in many instances fines, instead of i'm.
prs ,2-.snt, are imposed upon dyta,;,
ards.
The alien population drink more
than the native born Americans. The
per cent Of ioreign-bom among prison.
ers committed for drunkenness is 1926
&C per cent more than that of natives
Natives Of Ireland, with 1913 per cent,
Canada with the same, Scotland with
1913, and England with 3S.5. furnish
the highest percents Of drunkenness.
The lowest are Mexico, 81 per cent,
and Italy, 7.3-illustrating, according
to DR.. Mcdonald. the superiority Of
the Latins in resisting intemperance.
In 1907 the doctors calculations
show, the number of deaths from ALEC,
holism in the United States fer every
100000 of the population was &c; in
the cities it was 9.S against ~ in ru.
raj districts. These, incidentally, Dr.
Mcdonald says, are the highest within
the last seven years.
While Rhode Island shows the hign
est death rate from alcoholism-1O.5
per 100000 populadon--New Hano,
shire and Maine, with 90. are the low.
est. The greatest proportion Of deaths
from alcoholism occur in persons from
IS to 80 years of age The deaths Of
men largely exceed those of women.
ut would SEEM" DR.. Mcdonald stat
ed, "that the consumption of alcoholic
drinks Increases when times are pros.
porous and decreases Wien times are
bad. In England statistics bear this
out in a remarkable degree. In Scot.
land, also, figures Indicate that Of.
lenses for drunkenness vary with the
amount of employment available, es.
pec!ally for rough labor. This sug.
gests an important study to find
whether great muscular fatigue Of II.
self tends to produce desire for also.
hol. In Australia statisticians believe
that those engaged in the strenuous
callings are most likely to indulge IN
drinking.
"There is no doubt Of the close rc.
lation between drunkenness and crime.
It has long been observed that on hol.
idays or whenever alcohol is consum.
ed more than at other times, that Ger.
tain crimes are most frequcnt-as on
Saturdays.
'In Belgium it is estimated that
from Is to 81 per cent of crime Is due
to alcoholism; in Holland threc.fourLhs
of crime against persons and one.
fourth against property; in France,
Germany and England, there are 40
to so drunkards to every 100 criminals.
Drunkenness has decreased In
England, Wales, Ireland. Scotland,
Australia, Christiana Norway and