Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-10-29
SIDELIGHTS
--ON-
European War

NHiiStAoho. NNOIIeSpOuueHSe VI L he
Associated Press.)-The Norwegian
press is making an almost unanimous
appeal to the government to rescind
the prohibition ordinance which was
passed in the first excitement of the
war to stop the sale of strong alcoholic
beverages. Nominally so per cent OF
the Norwegian people is represented in
the membership of "Teetotal Socie-
ties" and next to Finland, Norway or
dinarily has the smallest per capita
consumption of alcohol in the world.
1t is the working classes who are most
largely represented in the "teetotal
membership.
The appeal for resembling the pro-
hibition act is based primarily on as
sertions that after more than two
months of prohibition, prohibition has
not worked. Persons who could afford
1t have INDUCED extensively in the i'm
portation of strong liquors from Den
mark and Scotland. Individuals have
combined to form private stock COM
panies" and have brought in thousands
of gallons every week, each person TAX
ing a key or two for private use.
Among the poorer classes complaint is
made that the prohibition law has Gre
ated worse conditions. promoting the
concoction of such weird drinks as
self murder"-the name given to de-
naturalized alcohol favored with oil of
pepperment-and the cheapest kinds of
so-called sweet wines, made from
chemical products, which never saw
grapes.
The police reports in Christiana
show that the average number of ar
rests for drunkenness has been about
the same as before the ordinance was
passed, and in the meantime the gov
eminent loses a revenue of s260,000
month. Outside of the Teetotal socie-
ties the demand for resembling the new
law has gained such Roadway that it
is said the government may meet it.
The government has already rescind-
ed the special law forbidding distilla-
ton Of alcohol from potatoes. This is
ordinarily an extensive industry in
Norway, but at the outbreak of the
European war it was thought necessary
to stop it in order to conserve the food
supply. AS a matter of fact II was
found that the potatoes used for this
distilling process could not be kept
long. there not being enough frost
proof cellars for their storage. The
breweries, which had also been for
hidden to malt their barley, have re-
their operations.
Some of the great construc-
ton companies in Norway financed
with English capital have had
TO stop work as payments from Eng
land have been cut off. Several of these
have been Harvesting Nor
wegian water falls for electric power.
The Nitrogen Products and Carbide Co.
for instance, has been erect
ing machinery to develop 100000 horse
power but after having spent few !
million crowns it has entirely ceased |
operations. throwing about a thousand !
men out of work Mining companies, !
ere to England, Belgium
and France, have also stopped as their |
market at present is closed. About !
coo hands in this industry are idle. !
The great industrial factories are kept !
going as before the war, and there is /
even a greater demand for workmen
than there are men to fill the places.
On the government railway, under
where wages are as high |
Is five dollars a day, they cannot get
hands enough.
There is also plenty of employment
or sailors in the merchant marine, and
wages are raised considerably because
If the danger of floating mines. Two
Norwegian steamers have thus far
,een blown up by these machines. The
ishing fleet has kept at work in the
North Sea and had very good catches.
Paris-The wheat crop. which at
he beginning of the war gave the au-