The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-05-24
DOMAIN OF TEMPERANCE.
THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF
ALCOHOL.

Alcohol is related closely to each
of three sets of activities, writes Frank
O'Hara, in the Catholic World, to the
production of wealth, to the distribu-
ton of wealth, and to the consumption
of wealth.
First, let us consider the part which
alcohol plays in the production of
wealth. The relation of alcohol to the
production of wealth is a two-fold
one. In the first place, alcohoI-itseIf
a product of ndustry-requires in it's
production the expenditure of labor
power and capital power and land
power and business management. Thus
the production of alcohol represents
effort that might be employed in other
directions. Instead of employing land
and labor and capital and business
management to manufacture beer and
whiskey and wine, an equivalent
amount of land and labor and capital
and enterprise might be employed in
producing bread and beef and clothing
and houses.
In the second place, it may be shown
workers less efficient producers than
they would be without its use There
is shortage, then, in the production
of the necessaries of life because, on
the one hand, the production of the
necessaries has had to give place to
the production of the not-necessaries,
and, on the other hand, because the
nTO6nnnTC
or entirely unproductive through the
use of some of these not-necessaries
The non-drinker can be depended
upon to do higher class of work than,
the man who is in semi-intoxicated
condition during working hours, or
than the man who drinks moderately,
and confines his drinking to the time
when he is of duty.
A few years ago thesFederal Bureau
of Labor undertook an investigation to
find out the attitude of employers to-
wards the use of intoxicating liquors
by employees. Employers were asked
if, in employing new men, they were
accustomed to give consideration to
the use Of Intoxicating liquors. Out
answering this inquiry, more than one
half reported that they required in
certain occupations, and under certain
circumstances, that employees should
not use intoxicating liquors Many
different reasons were given by the
employers for the requirement.
Moreover, the effects of the drink
| habit I1n0n ho of 1rrooIRI,
are cumulative and permanent. Sins
of the fathers are visited upon the
children through many generations in
the Industrial world The man who
uses alcohol to excess, and who lowers
his own economic position in society
thereby, also places his children at a
disadvantage in the struggle for live
lihood. AS general thing they do not
inherit the property that they other
wise would inherit They must de-
pend to greater extent than would
otherwise be necessary on their labor
power for their support. Then, too, as
a rule they will not receive so good
an education as they would receive if
their father was not a drinker. They
are thus doubly handicapped in the
race of life.
1. The use of alcohol is prejudicial
to the economical production of
wealth.
2. It's use is inconsistent with a.
wholesome and wise distribution of
wealth.
3. II tends to promote an irrational
consumption of wealth.
Political economy, therefore, will
have none of it.