The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-12-26
DOMAIN OF TEMPERANCE.
ALL EUROPE AGAINST ALCOHOL

One of the outstanding results OF
the war already attained is the retire
ment of a nation from the liquor bust
ness. Russia has issued an edict pro-
hibiting the sale of vodka during the
war, and the Car has ordered his
Finance Minister to devise some other
means of revenue to substitute for
that formerly accruing from the Gov
ernment's sale of this beverage. Near
ly one-third of the empires revenue is
thus cut off, and it's substitution must
be effected at peculiarly difficult
time. Though Russia is furnishing
the most notable adherent to the
ranks Of the enemies of alcohol, the
other nations are not entirely behind
hand. France has prohibited the sale
of absinthe, the German emperor has
pronounced against beer-drinking,
and Lord Kitchener, in sending forth
his first troops, told them to abstain
from drinking while on the Continent.
I'm this conflict" says The North
American philadelphia, leach par
ticipant recognizes the supreme need
for calling to it's aid the vital factors
that make for success, and these
only" and one of the first steps was
a move against alcohol. This journal
adds:
TN the estimation of the guiding
minds of these four first-class Pow
ers it was as necessary to deal with
the question of alcohol-even in malt
combinations-as to consider guns,
ammunition, supplies, and Transports
ton. Commenting editorially on this
feature of the great war, The Journal
of the American Medical Association
says:
'Field-marshal Earl Kitchener is
reported to have counseled the Eng
lish soldiers to abstain from drinking
while abroad, reminding them that
their duty can not be done unless
health is preserved. The men we're
cautioned to keep constantly on guard
against excuses.
1.-The German Emperor is said to
have forbidden the treating" Of the
soldiers in his armies.
"'The sale of absinthe, imported by
French soldiers in an earlier war,
when alcohol was used to fight fever,
has been restricted in Paris.
Tt is of sight consequence whether
or not these rumors are entirely cor
rect. They represent the current
tendencies, which are undeniable by
any one who has watched the recent
0f -
ties, in the face of adverse criticism
couched in the usual phrases concern
ing personal liberty
"'The truth is that ''the relation of
alcohol and fighting has been square
ly met and the fact admitted that
they are not compatible"
ga recent writer has expressed
this by having that temperate army
was something not conceived of in
the old theories of war; but a drunk
ard is to-day as much out of place in
an army as he would be on battle
ship
1T has been scientifically demon
strated by experiments made in the
Swedish Army that even a small
quantity of alcohol decreases the
Workmanship of the man with gun.
Under Lieutenant Bengt Boy squad
of soldiers were put through test
after having gone without beer for a
certain period of time. Out of d total
of thirty targets, their average was
twenty-three hits.
Later these same soldiers were al.
lowed a glass of beer apiece one even
ing and another glass the following
morning, and the average number of
hits that afternoon was three. To
check up this result, which seemed
out of reason, another test without
beer was made some days later, when
these same soldiers averaged twenty
six hits"