The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-03-07
Would Prevent Opening of More
Establishments; Now One for
Every 80 Persons
PROHIBIT SALE OF ABSlNTHE
Germany Also Will Consider Mea-
sures to Restrain the liq-
uor Business

Paris, March IA bill to stop the
opening OF any more drinking estab-
lishments in France is to he presented
to parliament as the opening wedge
for the anti-alcoholc campaign which
is being taken up anew by temperance
advocats.
Here are some of the facts with
which they are trying to drive home
the need of restraint:
If the drinking places already estab-
lished were so apportioned there
would be one for every group Of elgh-
lty Inhabitants of France.
In some districts drinking places are
so thickly placed that there is one for
every seventeen persons.
New drinking places are sprnsing
out throughout the country at the rae
OF six day
More alcoholic drink, including wine
is consumed in France than in any
other nation i'm the world.
In the form of spirits alone it is es-
| timated that $236,00OO0O worth was
drunk in France during 1911.
Complete prohibition is beyond the
widest dreams Of any French temper-
anUe reformer says Henri Schmidt
who is author OF the bin about 20
come before the house of deputies,
and the most we can hope at present
is to forbid the opening of any new sa-
looms. BY refusing to grant new Ii
censes we hope i'm the course of time,
as some Of the present drinking estab.
lishments fail or cease to exist for 9TH
er reasons, to reduce the average of
drinking places To one for two hundre /
| inhabitants. We shall not. howeyen
Try to prevent the opening Of restau-
rants where drink is sold with meals.
But even such mild anti-alcoholic
measure as this is likely to meet with
much opposition in parliament. How
difficult II is to pass temperance le2i5-
lation i'm France may be judged from
the fact that in 1912 only l26 out Of 600
deputies voted in favor Of milder
bill which originated in the senate and
was twelve years passing through tha
upper house.
we hope, however that the general
elections this spring will considerably
increase the temperance vote in the
chamber and we are organizing al
energetic nonparty campaign through
out France, urring each political group
To obtain from their candidate a dec
laration on the drink-qucstion and il
possible "A pledge To support anti-alco-
holic legislation.
After the passage of the law at
present before the house there are two
other projects which we hope to realize
in course of time. one is the absolute
prohibiting of the sale of absinthe.
Official statistics show that the con-
sumption Of this liquor which stood ~
100000 ltres in 1874 had increased to
2S. 00O, 900 litres in 1910 The increase
Of crime in mad-houses are filed with
lunatics who would have been sane
and healthy men and women but for
ahsnthc."
Germany Also Takes Action.
Paris. March THE German par
Lament, like that of France, will sopn
I've called upon To consider measures
Of restraint upon the liquor business
of the empire.
The Federal council has prepared
for consideration bill which is the
result of years Of agitation against the
issuing liquor licenses regardless of
whether there is any real demand 70:
more drinking places. Under the ex
isting law municipalities are author
lied To refuse licenses where the need
for their issuance is not proved. but
the new measure makes such refused
mandatory. 1t also requires appi-
cants for licenses to show that they
are persons of good character, and can
he depended upon To conduct then
business properly.
The new measure is general in its
application but is aimed primarily al
Berlin, where the development of
drinking places of dubious sort IN
the last three or four years has been
amazing. Quiet residential districts
have been invaded by gaudy restau-
rants and cafes. and institutions
known as american bars" equippe J
with barmads and exotic fiddlers. ana
serving mixed drinks termed "Amerl-
can" TO these places come hangers
on of both sexes; none of them close
their doors before or I o'clock in the
morning. and i'm most of them business
is at its height at those hours.
Proponents of the new licensing Hill
declare that not one in ten of these
resorts exists To meet real need. but
rather to create one. and they are pro-
life breeding places of immortality.
Particular objection is raised to the
so-called "Anmierkneipcn," or Ant