The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1915-10-05
Handing Him His Hat

IL UMAN. groups everywhere are seeing in in
itoNicants an enemy more to be dreaded than
Invading armies or menacing hunger. And with
out waiting for the pressure of war or famine
these groups are fortifying themselves and their
children against both war and famine by handing
John BarIeycorn his hat.
I'm years to come, when we read the history OF
the past decade" says the Kansas City Star, "the
red streak caused by the upheaval of Europe may
be no broader than the white one which will repre-
sent the worlds severng polite relations with John
Barleycorn If the military madness of Europe
does result in the liquor sanity of the world, the
war may be hailed as the greatest blessing to man
kind since the advent of Christianity" q
Russia surprised the world in abolishing the
manufacture and use of vodka while the action Of
the French government in it's relation to absinthe
added proof to the fact that the great war is
drinks death knell the world over; for not only
have the warning nations, under the strain and
stress OF unusual conditions, been almost forced to
adopt such regulations, but the peoples at peace
with each other and some of them not likely r.
be drawn into the whirlpool have been quietly
handing John Barleycorn his hat.
rake for example Rumania. 1t is we'll
known fact that the government OF Rumania with
in the past three months has cut down the number
OF saloons within its territory nearly fifty per cent
There is Italy. No restrictive regulations have
ever been enacted much less enforced by the gov
eminent OF Italy in regard to the liquor traffic until
quite recently when the whole wine industry has
been brought upder strict government control.
Norway and Sweden have also made rapid pro-
gtess since the began in aggressive and pop
ular campaigns for nationwide prohibition. In
both countries, the so-called Gothenberg system
which provides for the government Of all liquor
profits, has fallen into i'll repute and created wide
spread dissatisfaction among those who object to
\ being male the partners in trade hurtfu ami
destnictive 10 the best interests of the people.
Holland also advances along similar lines Of re-
form. Fully one-half Of the saloons have been put
out of business through stringent measures.
Iceland was greatly influenced by the example
Of Russia, and its government ousted the booze
entirely from its shores year ago or more while
the women now have popular song which, they
sing-"As long as water stays in the sea- liquor
shall be barred from Iceland" .-s' e
And so, while these movements have been quiet
" taking place among the older nations of the
world, here in own land the liquor interests
are losing RIOunu ana lHcH own lcaucIS 'OpcHly
confess that they see the handwriting on the wall
In the six months between last September and last
March, more Of the United States went dry than
in any previous ten-year period. The people OF
Colorado, Oregon, Arizona and Washington voted
in large majorites against booze, while the legs-
latures OF Alabama and Idaho put these States in
the prohibition column long ago started by Maine
and Kansas The latest one to be added was
North Carolina with its popular vote in favor of
no saloons making nineteen States in all listed
as dry.
By the resurrection of an old Indian treaty in
Minnesota several hundred saloons were abruptly
put out of business And while the resolution
authorizing the submitting of prohibition to the
nation failed to secure the necessary two-thrds
vote in congress last December, for the first time
in the history OF the anti-Hquor movement ma
jority of the members of the house of representa-
tiyes voted for it.
In no instance among the cases cited above has
sentiment played any leading part.
That day has passed. The new grounds of APP
peal are economic necessity and industrial eff
cheney REINFORCED by the facts which the scientists
OF the day have discovered in regard to the physical
effects of alcohol upon the human system.