The Republican journal., 1914-05-28
ssnness in Massachusetts,

Wh" ,he Growth OF fhe Dr'hA esl' III Tue
Old Bay I EDITOR OF The JOURNAL: I
20 The .onv of the report made by the
CLOSE can s'a appointed by Gov. Foss last
pnl'ss.iO 'rsstjgate drunkenness in this
Of to ,,' ! Jaw anything in The Jour
ats' j time this report was published
lst tns ',;as have forgotten it. Bos-
the uo aO, nlaces licensed to sell booze
! h's 81. 90 and throughout the State the
j y ''s.s are near enough together to
d p''l hurning thirst in the slaves to
pss y DI habit. So the prospect for i'm
: al'D~ nt this year is not very bright.
psslls His report ought to cause the
blnA ~" If Maine to forsake their
moe mbo would introduce the policy
aeiI -, : produced such results.
dcf i'1 A. J. ROBERTSON.
Newton Center, Mass.
,,c,.i. REPORT OF THE COMMITS
SION.
-.ar ending September. 30, 1913,
h .nT lrasts for drunkenness were
de IN ms7 larger number of arrests
lhE a aver before been made within
% dsl l,o,rwealth during any year for
comm .nr any other offepse. In fact,
i Of 10, Of of arrests on this charge in
nlIlU'i' ,Tger by over 5000 than the
j Vas ,bsr of arrests made for all in
81 ,. llu- af the law within the State
'l' sIegsn years before.
\ 3i5' lo0i the number of arrests for
sl9'T ,d ls has increased by 1922, or
'r. the annual average increase
~ EN- q, l06 arrests per year; the in
~. as5 lasf wear was 6,285; yet the sta
asss "a a. arrest for drunkenness fail to
I.Ss+ VI me gravity of this problem be-
l lss' ari 'r = small percentage of intoxi-
ls 5 V oarsons are taken into custody.
l as,o 7 who drink intoxicating liquors
lsOn nsrat-Iy within the home or club.
! t4n,s also who are taken home by
llo' wben under the influence of
u. ssrspe arrest. Only 81 per cent
~. ". ,rehrIates received at Peterborough
y, lIs i bosn,taI during the year ending
s ..s,, her 70 1913, have a court history.
,.Fn,I the majority of these patients
LV' Sssn intoxicated frequently each
y FIR ten years or more. The prob
! ~ drunkenness is thus very much
,rsr than the problem Of the arrested
unkard.
THE COST OF DRUNKENNESS.
/, l. impossible to estimate in dollars
, TaarIy cost of drunkenness to the
r,mIorweaith. The expenditure for
n mol, treatment is but small fraction
II, the total cost, yet the expense arising
w, MN 6S4 per cent of all arrests, and
& 4 nercent of all commitments to prison
Ne during the year, ~ together with
0Ssderable percentage of the cost OF
nation trial and transportation Of
sonsrs is due to public drunkenness.
narrower, the Incorporate use OF al
nj is directly responsible for many
NJ criminal otfenses which are brought
the courts Incorporate use of al
nj is generally the chief cause of
sordery conduct" disturbing the
ZEE and assault and battery aud
0ften a cause of sexual crime and
ricie. 1t may occasion these crimes
ause alcohol, taken even in small
rtjtes, reduces the activity OF the
ntal ceuters Of control and of Judg-
pt giving freer rein to the lower i'm
ses TO lighting, quarrelsomeness,
,us indulgence. ~ Statistics from
riOus sources satisfy US that at least
e.tbrd Of all crime (aside from public
unkennassD IS directly occasloned by
suse If aicohot.
prison statistics show
Il 96 percent of all criminals In our
sons in 1912 were Incorporate by
BIT.
Insanity caused directly by abuse of
ohO Is 2 source Of heavy cost to the
each year.
4ccOring 10 the reports of the physl-
Us Of N assachusetts hospitals for the
sne alcoholic intemperance was the
mary cause of insanity in 1857 per-
1t Of the cases committed for the first
be to hospital for the insane during
ayearS 1902, and was assigned as a
lhbutory cause in AL percent of first
nmltments. g.
The amount OF other disease caused by
emperste drinking is less easily esti-
lted but alconol is known to be a fire.
emf cause directly and indirectly of
gsnic disease. Recovery from illness
less quick and less certain where
hents have made frequent use of alco-
because the powers of resistance
Ne been lowered.
aGoholls source of serious expense
lhe community as a cause of early
sth. We are convinced from available
"a that the annual cost of the State by
! Of labor resulting from premature
Rths from preventable disease and
pm accidents occasioned by intemper-
use OF alcohol amounts to hundreds
thousands Of dollars.
Fle part played by drunkenness in the
junction Of poverty is very large. 1t
gDe OF indirect character, as in the
I o. Imprisonment. insanity or dis
Of Inc breadwinner which reduces
Nllly income, and it may be more
|@' through the expenditure for drink
portion of family resources which
Fau De reserved for the purchase OF
Eaecessaries of life.
|.a a investigation of the causes Of
Key reveals that in from 10 to 20
t'en' q Of the cases applying to pub
t., VI private agencies for relief, the
ss' VI alcohol is an immediate cause
',pendency. One-tenth or more of
1, present cost of public and private
s, ,siiel would probably be wiped out
ialAenness could be eradicated from
\ II, commonwealth.
aae greatest economic loss to the
kps,9 nsS IN the idleness of capable men.
gse out Of every 20 men imprisoned
!, Tu1Aenness in Massachusetts, last
H. wei" wei OF American or British (5)