The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-07-13
DOMAIN OF TEMPERANCE.
SOCIAL DRINKING.

IL social drinking In the society
world could be made questionable
the cause Of temperance would be
greatly advanced, says the C. T. A. u.
Advocate. II social drinking among
men could be made unpopular total
abstinence would receive mighty i'm
pulse
1t is as social custom that strong
drink most often begins it's deadly
work. The young man does not take
his first drink because he likes it, He
takes it because he thinks it will make
him seem manly and up-to-date to do
SO. He does not purchase a bottle of
whisky and go off by himself to drink
it. He may do that later on; but at
first he drinks for the social pleasure
he expects to derive from it.
In these days of close competition
man to be at his best if he would
succeed; and no man can be entirely
fit who is ever SO slightly under the
influence of strong drink
Then there is the domestic, or home
side of the drink question. The man
who drinks brings wretchedness and
misery to his family. If he is poor
they suffer deprivations and want. If
he is rich they look to the time when
bad management or neglect will re-
duce them to poverty, and added to
the humiliation of his habits there will
be the discomforts of perjury.
Whisky has been driven from near
ly every place of honor and trust 1t
is bar to achievement, an enemy
to happiness, and a menace to health.
Even as medicine alcohol has lost
it's vogue, and the best physicians sell
dom prescribe 1t.
But in spite of business require
ments and domestic needs, social
drinking continues. There is some
thing incomprehensible about the toll
erance of a custom which, if continued,
may ruin mans prospects. There is
note of inconsistency in policy
| that finds it's pleasures in undermin-
| ing it's possibilities.
Sobriety is stock in trade for the
ambitious man. 1t opens the door Of
opportunity. 1t gives him a chance
to utilize his ability. 1t converts his
energy into cash. 1t materializes his
aspirations. Inebriety blights ambi-
ton, closes the door to opportunity,
paralyzes energy, and destroys the
aspirations.
Social drinking does not in all cases
lead to drunkenness; but nearly all
drunkenness begins in social drinking.
The young man who begins to drink
does not intend to become an inebriate
he means to be a moderate drinker.
He knows of prominent business men
who drink moderately, but who are re-
spected and esteemed. If he thinks
at all, he thinks he will be like them.
Unfortunately there are many such
men-men of wealth and prominence,
who by their example say to the young
man, "It is right and possible to drink
moderately"
AS has often been said in these col
lumns, all men are not equally affected
by the poison of alcohol. Many men
never can be moderate drinkers. For
them there is no halfway ground.
They must let drink alone or they will
drink to excess.
1t must be remembered that the
moderate drinkers who occupy high
positions have reached those positions
in spite of their drinking practices,
and not because of them. While they
might defend those habits in them
selves, they would be quick to object
to them in those who asked their as
sistance.
There is no profession or position
or occupation where drinking habits
are a recommendation. If they are
tolerated, they are not approved.
Science and Industry have pronounced
against them. 1t remains for Fashion
to say the final word.