New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1914-07-01
THE THINGS THAT ARE NOT
CAESARS
BY Herman Kuehn, Minneapolis, MINI

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Can it be settled? What is the way to
settle 1.-THE right way?"
These interrogatories by Everybody's
will doubtless evoke flood of suggestions
as to how the state ought to 60 about
solving the problem. Yet that is pre-
cisely what governmental processes have
never succeeded in accomplishing. All
that we have of progress has been wrested
from Caesar never contributed by him
Neither monarchy nor democracy, nor
any scheme or device of coercion or
restraint can successfully cope with a
psychological problem.
And that is what the liquor question
really is. Neither prelate, potentate,
nor politician can effectually deal with a
problem that has it's root in Desire,
Desire permits but one solution graft
ifcation.
Political process, seeking to hinder
qualification, serves but to stimulate
desire. The intensity of desire is en-
HANGED by the very difficulties interposed
between it and its qualification.
In this respect the drink habit is normal
that is, it is natural for the habit to
persist so long as it is opposed. Never
theless the drink addiction is an alb
normality because it is the result. of
perversion. Every perverted desire is
the natural result of the undertaking
to stifle normal desire.
Let the most ardent prohibitionist cite
what facts he may, he can not overstate
his case. And though he wing his fight
to the uttermost realms of fancy and
depict the horrors wrought by drunken
ness on the scale in which it obtains in our
country at this day, his Indictment will
probably not be grossly overdrawn. But
when he has marshaled his array of
horrible examples" and gruesome in
stances he straightway leaps to the con-
clusion that an appeal to Caesar is the
"next STEP" In fact it is the only step
he knows anything about. He takes no
counsel of the experiences Of all the past.
Nor does he realize that he, and such as
he, do more to excite demand for strong
drink than do the manufacturers of such
beverages.
The drink evil'' is not the real issue.
It is not a problem per Sc. It is but a
minor ramifcation of the most important
problem confronting the student of
biology-man's relation to his environ
ment.
Don't shudder! I shall not indulge
an expedition from the inane to the
germane. I mean to stick to the text.
And my answer to the question: "Can
il be settled" is, No! 1t will settle itself
when we quit trying to settle it by legis-
lation. We must quit rendering unto
Caesar the things that Caesar always
botches.
There is neither wholesomeness nor in.
telligence in attacking symptoms.
So much by way of preface. Now fol
some facts:
The cost of pure whisky, with corn
around fifty cents the bushel, is about
seven cents the gallon. Including a
perfectly good little brown jug, the retail
price of a gallon would not exceed thirty
cents.
At such price there would be no in.
centive to adulterate the commodity.
/ Were there no restrictions upon the sale
of the product the saloon" would be I'M
profitable and therefore impossible.
Treating would find more intelligent
expression.
The High Cost Of Getting Drink
In view of these facts, let us see what
becomes OF the averment that the people
OF our country expend some two billions
OF dollars annually for strong drink. ]
have no exact data whereupon to base
the computation, but taking the price
at which pure whisky could be bought
in free-trade market and the price chat
adulterated substitutes command, we
shall find that nine-tenths of the OUTLAW
is for licenses, exciaes, imposts, taxes, and
the enormous cost Of espionage and
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