Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-02
UNDER BAN OF LAW
Act of Congress Forbids I'm
portation of AbSinthe.
GOES INTO Effect TODAY
Seductive Stimulant No Longer Per-
mitted in This Country.
MAY RESORT TO SMUGGLING
Officials Resolve to Keep Close Watch
on Suspects-Liquor Popular
in France.
MAY RESORT TO SMUGGLING

NO matter what sentiment, languOrOuS
and luxurious for the dilettante. may lin
ger in the bottom of the glass which
holds the fascinating cordial famed for
it's seductive stimulus. absinthe must 60.
The law has said it.
The act of Congress which says no
more absinthe shall be admitted into this
country is in effect today. Henceforth
there will be no more shipments from
Europe by the Americanized Frenchmen
OR the Frenchified Americans. The Treas
ury Department officials are on the job
they said so this afternoon.
Shoulders of Washington Frenchmen
shrug when they are asked. why this
legislation against absinthe?''
The shrug. it is declared, always means
they don't know. and they want to be
informed who does know.
No; the Frenchmen haven't the slight
est idea why Uncle Sans solons should
discriminate against their beloved alb
sinthe. 1t is conceded. without debate.
that the Frenchman loves his absinthe:
that down deep in his sturdy breast there
| is steady devotion to the green liquer.
His brows wrinkle into a frown and his
hands go up in protest against the pro-
realizes the futility Of objection, and says
he will wait till he gets to the most
beautiful city again.
Predict Illicit Traffic.
Smuggling, the Treasury officials be-
| lieve. will be attempted. But dealers in
Washington do not believe such Illicit
| traffic will ever be successful. Thus the
passing of the drink is marked Uncle
Sam sternly says to his nieces and
nephews that he will not allow them to
| tamper or flirt with the pale green liquid
distilled from NORWOOD.
1t is said at the Treasury there is a
large stock of absinthe in warehouses
and stacks and stacks of case goods in
| this country. This. 1t is declared, will
be sold as before, which means that the
maybe. The new law does not affect the
continued sale of stock on hand.
| One Washingtonian, who though not a
Frenchman knows absinthe, said today
| that the liqueur as the drink of the
| French people is not at all demoralizing.
This. of course, he. explained is to be ap-
piled in a general way.
Consume Million Gallons Annually.
'In France there are some 10000 900
T, people," he said, land careful estimate
of the absinthe consumed places the
amount at 100000 gallons annually. Di-
vide this amount between the population
ana you Will see tTdL the people Orlnk
but little. One gallon of absinthe used
as the French people drink it will do for
100 people. or even more. The belief in
| America that it is injurious to health is
| not held in France.
The Frenchman drinks his absinthe
slowly and before dejeuner, about II
| O'Clock in the forenoon. One drink is
| enough for the day. OF course when it
| is consumed as some Americans drink
| whisky then it is bad 1t is a most in
sidious drink. ] know of nothing more
| soothing In hot weather than an absinthe
| frappe. 1t beats everything.
The clink of the ice in the pitcher.
together with it's splendid accompaniment
| of gin fizZes and absinthe frappes. has
| made music for many an American out
! late or in late. 1t will be remembered
that: The first cool sip on your fevered
| lip you determine to live through the day:
! life's again worth While as you imbibe
Your absinthte frappe.
! This is a departing feeling. 1t does not
| go brutally. but it leaves just as surely:
| the absnthe frappe and the suissesse.
What Shall Be SubstitutedP
| What braccr the absinthe lovers may
| in the future adopt is left to them. The
gentlewomen OF the w. C. r. l.. can he
depended upon to keep up their effort to
| stop the sale of strong drink, but as yet
| gin fixes are not tabooed by Uncle Sam
| and the lamp posts are always to be
| f0und-it would seem about q dozen to
the block-though some of them at times
may appear more shaky than the man.
] Creme de menthe approaches absinthe
| in color only. 1t is insipid, some declare
beside the drink Of the Bohemian, who
| loves to lose himself in the memories of
departed grandeur with absinthe as his
/ comforter and guide.