The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-06-13
Golf, Gum, and Grog.


Judge kavanaugh, of Chicago, is evidently
not golf hend, for he uses the game to point a
moral on the waste of time and money. The Judge
is quoted as saying that men of the United States
are spending $4,000 900 every year in playing a
game that requires neither courage intellect;
and furthermore, they wasting 100000 working
days month. This information from the Chicago
judge is timely. We have other economists who
have shown us how we are wasting $1,000 ooo, 900
a year drink $1,000, ooo,oo more movies,
$780, 600, 900 chewing gum, $4,000, 900 900 to-
bacco another 1000 600 600 on autos for joy rid
ing, $500, 100000 on soda water and grape juice,
and untold wealth on pins, pink and blue ribbons,
silk hose, necktics and all sorts OF gimcracks.
The Census Bureau is studying this question
and has figured up about $I87 100000 our
total wealth. after all this extravaganza for many
years. If census OF extravagances is to be taken
to satisfy the economists that the American people
throwing away their money, the contribution
OF Judge Kavanaugh will be valuable basis for
part OF the investigation. The Judge we'll says
that the extravaganza of golf is not measured by
the money spent in laying courses, building
hunkers and club houses, even in the millions
OF acres OF land taken from the production OF corn
and wheat, potatoes and onions. All Of these
things arc merely incidental to the real waste of
time which is money
1t is serious indictment against the American
people that they wasting 100000 working days
every month this game which requires neither
courage intellect. That means waste of
100000 working days year. We might be able
to look with more leniency upon this terrible
economic waste to the nation ii the men who play
gof among those who arc not able to secure
profitable employment any employment. But as
a who 1arO
incomes. Take the President of the United States
for instance. He earns $4,000 year and every
day he wastes golf he throws away $3.50 1t
is not good example to the American people to
have their President waste $3.50 worth Of his time
every Saturday and sometimes half that much on
an afternoon OF other working days. There are
other men who have incomes large 5 that of
the President who waste much time in this wav
and from Judge Kavanaugh's point of view they
are simply throwing away millions OF money, for
time is money in this busy world.
If one-half the gof players time is worth $500
day the economic waste is S75oooo.ooo a year.
and putting all the others in at $40 day. we have
an economic waste OF $1,000 900 900 a year. TAX
ing all the waste, the land taken out OF production
the club houses, sweaters. golf coats, clubs, and
all the other incidentas, and here we probably
have the greatest economic waste OF all our ex-
travagancCs overlapping that for hghballs and
beer that for chewing gum and soda water that
for cigarettes and smoking tobacco. There is also
a suspicion that the waste of time and energy in
playing golf contributes the waste in these other
CNtravaCancc>.
Mr.. Bryan can add another chapter to his
celebrated lecture the economic waste of intern
pcrance. He show that without golf we would
be able TO build school house on every farm
hire school teacher for every family, build mod
ern asphalt roads from every farm house to the
barn that the farmers need not put on rubber
boots in the spring to go out and milk the cows
And then the navy-wc could have battlcships on
every sea and they could have enough launches to
sail on every creek in the country.
We ought to be thankful il VIC agree with
Judge kavanaugh. that we have one statesman
whose time is valuable who is not contributing to
this terrible economic waste for Mr. BRYAN does
not play gOlf, and has none OF the petty but OK
penSlNc vices which go with it, for grape Juice is,
so far as VIC have been able to discover, not as
sociated with golf.
Why should not Mr.. Bryan now become the
great leader OF those who want to prohibit golf,
gum and proC2