The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-02-01
BEER THIRST IS
on INCREASE
United States Will Soon be the
Greatest Beer Drinking
Nation of the
World.
GERMANY LOSING OUT
Since the Kaiser Got on the Water
Wagon. it is Popu-
lar to be an Alb
staincr.
by Karl H. Won Weigand. Berlin cor
respondent of tha limited Press

iS5POHuSuu VI tuS OulC6Q HTcS6.l
BERLIN, Jan. 31.-America's thirst
for beer is steadily growing. Despite
the gains of the "dry movement, the
spread of local option and the success
OF woman suffrage, the United States
is the one country in which there has
been an increase in the use of alco-
holic liquors in the past six years. In
proof of this, the imperial statistical
bureau of the German government
furnishes a bewildering array of fig
ures covering the use Of strong drinks
in almost every civilized country.
st is remarkable fact that your
country-the United States the home
of the temperance and prohibition
movements, shows a very marked in
crease in the consumption OF beer and
ether liquors, but more especially OF
beer, while in Germany, Great Britain
and almost every other country, there
was very noticeable decrease said
Professor j. Gosner, secretary of the
German society for the prevention OF
the Misuse of alcoholic liquors, in an
Interview with the United Press cor
respondent, Professor Gonser was the
governments representative to the in
sternational anti-alcohol congress al
Milan. He will again represent his
government at the next congress in
the United States.
The general impression that Ger
many is the greatest beer drinking
country in the world is contrary to
fact. That title rightfully belongs tt
| the British" said Professor Gonser
The British head the world as beef
drinkers. Germany is second. The
United States is third, but rapidly
forging to the front According tt
Professor Gonser, the American thirs'
! for beer has jumped approximately
from 60 liters per capita in 1900 to {
fraction under 80 liters in 1908, ant
to approximately 81 liters per capita
in 1910, the last figures available
That means that in 1900 enough bee
was consumed in the United States t.
give each man, woman and child abou
j15 gallons, and that these same per
sons now drink more than 20 gallons
a year.
During that same period bee
drinking in Great Britain decrease,
from 143 liters per person to 1875 liter
and in Germany from 1876 to ITO liter
lper person. There was marked in
crease in beer drinking in France
but there was marked decrease il
the consumption of other liquors. Ital
ians are at the foot of the list The,
drink less than gallon of beer pc
person per year, but they drink an i'm
lmense quantity of Wines Professo
4 Gonser called attention to the fac
that if the increase in beer drinkin
in the United States continues in tn
same proportion that it has in tn
past ten years, and the German cor
sumption continues to decrease, tn
Z United States soon will surpass Gel
many as beer drinking nation.
\ The consumption of alcoholic be,
erages in Germany is decreasing, e.
sciaIly among the educates classe.
according to Prof Gonser. He say
there also is a very noticeable d.
crease In drinking amongst organize
labor. On the other hand, he declares
there is no diminution of the use G
strong drink among the lower classe
which make up the class Of unorgal
lied labor.
While the growth of the tempe
ance movement has been most graf
flying in Germany, the great person;
factor in the steady decrease in drinl
ing has been Kaiser Wilhelm. it
believed. His influence in this r.
, spect has BEEN tremendous, especial
{ among officials and the rank and fl
of the army and navy.
j Professor Gonser confirmed tn
United Press story some months ag
that the kaiser has climbed aboar
, the water wagon"
s'Ths kaiser has not touched, bes
for many years." said the professo
| vim IL in a position to know SIC