The farmer and mechanic., 1914-08-18

A radical change has come over the |
uuhlic mind throughout the civilized |
world regarding the question Of the |
sale and consumption Of alcoholic IL |
,uers. This change has come about !
=. quickly that the reading public is |
hardly aware Of its existence. Nine
entire States Of the Union are now
under no-iicense laws This, with the
territory in other States which by
county option have done away with
license makes a total area OF "a, ,13z,-
soe odd square miles out OF total of
,.s78. 0e8 in the United States, and in
CIudes population of 46. 200. 0oe out
of 92.OO0,00O of our total population
living under no-licenSe laws From
this prohibition territory. chiefly in
our West and South, there has come
10 Washington in the present admin
.tration q new sort of legislator. Mr.
Bryan's well-knoWn total abstinence
beliefs. Secretary Daniels order (ef-
fective July - prohibiting the use OF
liluor in the Navy Gas Japan, Russia,
and Greece had already done and later
Norway. the campaign of Represen-
tative Hobson in Alabama for the
senate on prohibition issue.-these
are some of the facts of the situation
that stand out in public view.
There are more fundamental con-
siderationS. however. A great many
Senators and Representatives in the
present Congress have come recently
from regions where it is popular to
b. opposed to the liquor business. Add
to these facts the effect Of the Webb
law. passed in the winter Of 191l-'12
over the veto of President Taft. and
making a violation of the Federal law
the shipment of alcoholic liquors from
one State or Territory to another when
one is under prohibition, and We have
evidence of an entirely new admins
tration and governmental attitude to-
wards the traffic in intoxicating liquors
and the consumption thereof. For
some years the Anti-Saloon League
has been engineering a movement to
bring about the passage of a consti-
tutional amendment giving Congress
the power to regulate the liquor buSl-
ness The joint resolutions, champion
cd by Representative HObSon, calling
upon the States to submit such amend
ment to their legislatures. were re-
ported from the Senate and House
committees without comment on May
5 Senators and Congressman from
dry territories throughout the country
sufficient in number. it is believed
IL give these resolutions chance o
passage Even if beaten, it will pu
every Senator and Congressman OF
record. Some will be beaten. whe1
they come up for reelection. becauS
they vote for this bill, but many more
perhaps, because they vote against il
40 much for rapid summary OF tn
present status of prhobition sentimen
IN this country.
Az Europe Awake 10 the Danger O
Alcoholism.
la Europe. particularly on the Con
hn of a
ment against alcohol and the charat
ter and standing Of the men who ar
behind it will come as surprise
American readers. This campaign !
continental Europe. besides appealin
strongly to large masses Of people be
cause of the economic injury due
the liauor business. has assumed tn
proportions and character Of an iH
portant movement Of culture. In tn
face of a dead weight of tradition an
prejudice, this movement in EurOI
Is now seen to be university bred.
The temperance movement, as suc1
was really Anglo American in Origl
and 1T left the German-speaking lant
untouched In 1886, however. ps
uent German investigator, Professt
Won Bunge, wrote a book which w;
afterwards to become famous,-'D
Alkohol Frage" (The Alcohol Que
uonp. Thus. in the very strongho
"t vine and beer. was begun the ant
alcohol campaign. Today almo
every nation of the continent ar
treat Britain most Of all, is engage
IN continuous educative and legl
iatlve campaign against the driI
haelt. and. in many instances, again
th@ drink business.
There have been many congress
ON the subject Of intemperance and
SOCIAL and economic effects. Socis
Isl organizations all over the con
nent have taken a stand against t
business and rulers and war Offlc
nave issued stringent orders reEar
lns reforms in the armies In me
VI the countries of Europe there a
"rean'Zatiens devoted to fighting t
ol<a H. 4 II of