Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-11-08

DRINKING DANGEROUS
TO HEALTH AND MORALS
Startling Arraignment Of Traf-
fic Contained in Report of
American Delegate to Inter
national Congress on Drink,


[By Morning Journal Special Leased wirel
Washington, Nov 7.-Alcohoi and
alcoholism are two of the real and
substantial enemies of moral. artistic
and commercial progress OF the hui
man race, according to the report of
Twelfth International Congress on AL
coholism. made public by the State
Department today. The delegates
were appointed by Secretary Knox as
one of his first official acts. The con-
gress was held last July in London.
and twenty-five governments were
represented the delegates of each
concurring in the general finding that
alcohol not only was unnecessary to
human life and comfort but was IN
imical to both.
Three departments OF the United
States government were represented
by delegates, the State, Navy and
Treasury Twelve representatives
went abroad, and all of them unani-
mously signed the report made pubic
today the finding of which is to con-
denim the drinking habit as dangerous
to public health and morals and sub
VerSiVe of national moral, cOHlinercidl
and military greatness.
According to the report the interest
shown in the congress was greater
than ever known before. Because of
the information evolved at the congres
the delegates accepted the invitation
of the Queen of Holland to hold their
next meeting, two years hence. at the
Hague in conjunction with the confer
ence of the committee that is working
for international peace.
While the congress urged the neces-
sty of imposing the most rigorous re-
trictions ON the sale and traffic in al
coholic liquors, it regarded as equally
important the need of eduacting the
younger generation to a true know
ledge of what alcohol is and what its
effects upon the human system are.
The delegates believe that the num-
erous recent discoveries as to the
of drunkenness and even
of "moderate" krinking, also. should
be set before children in order that
they may see the danger of the prac-
tice. The American delegates sum up
this phase of their report by saying:
Increased teaching as to it's char
acter and influence should be pro-
vided to conserve industrial efficiency
in the commercial competition of na-
tions as well as to promote two OF
the chief objections of government
tn epublic health and morals
The value of this method of COM
batting the growth of the liquor habit
is emphasized in the report Whlle
is made that the
the organization of associations of
juvenile abstainers is useful, it is de-
clared, the chief reliance should be
placed on scientfc temperance educa-
ton in the public schools as means
of Kidding the public mind of errors
about the effects of alcohol and sub
sttutng the facts that science Is de-
clared to have evolved about the use
of the beverage, even when taken in
small doses.
In furtherance of this plan Mrs.
Edith Davis. of Milwaukee, Wiscon-
sin, superintendent of the Worlds
and National Christian Temperance
Union and one of the American dele
gates, urged the necessity of getting TO
the root of the matter by compelling
the curricula of normal schools and
to include such educationJl
In this way. Mrs. Davis contended, the
Younger generation would be assured
Of proper instruction on the subject.
Miss Cora F. StOddard. of Boston.
another delegate and secretary OF the
Scientific Temperance Federation, also
dealt with the same subject, her adj
dress which was the first paper of the
congress. In IL She dwelt upon the
important relations as such instruc-
ton in the schools to national pro-
gress. She put forward the benefit
derived by a number of countries
through the adoption of such a plan
as proof that it should become univer-
sal.
The United states. according to the !
-eport. made an unusually good show
ng i'm it's exhibits Germany also was |
10 the fore with a particularly fine
collection of colored charts showing the |
effect of alcohol on the body, the fam !
ly and upon society. Especially ef- |
'ective ii is said. were the stereopt- |
,an slides of the National Temperance |
League of Great Britain.
These stereoptican pictures. the re-
port goes on to show. were largely re- |
productions of municipal posters that |
ire being issued by the city councils |
If about 100 British boroughs. The |
posters deal in a popular way with |
he deletorious effects of alcohol on |
he human system, and are. posted by |
order of the regular officials of towns |
n which the sale of intoxicants is IL |
,ensed. This fact. however. does not |
prevent the official from warning the |
public against the use of alcohol
Following the example of Great |
the city and district officials |
IF both France and Austria likewise |
nave adopted the public warning
method of advising the people against |
The report deplores the /
act that the same method has not yet |
'ound a foothold in the United states |
although such a plan has been mooted
N certain cities. where posters in
feighng against the use of alcohol
lave been issued by authority OF the |
mayors.
THE relations of drunkenness TO
rhine was subject that received
much attention at the congress. The |
chief Justice OF England. Lord AL
,erstone, announced that in his belief /
10 per cent of the crimes passing un-
Ter his observation were due to drink.
Judge w. +. Pollard. of St Louis,
No, who presides at the Second Dis
rict Police Court in that city declared
hat of the cases passed upon by him
'uIly s5 per cent OF those convicted
,ould charge their degradation to the
Ise Of alcohol. Lieut.. Col. Hardy. OF
Scotland. coincided with
Judge Pollard as to the percentage Of