The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-01
Tell the Truth
 About It
By William Allison Gray.

\ Big Fellow, that wine is stronger
 l than beer, and whiskey is strong x CT than either. Which may be all |( right. so far as 1t goes, but it \ doesn't go far enough, nor in the II right direction"
 |l Meaning which?" inquired the | Little Pal.
 ' .Meaning that the chap who K wrote that don't know what he's ! saying-if he's referring to the
 X drinks of Today"
 \ q suppose" ventured the Little D Pal, that, according to your N views, whislSey is the mildest of |l the three"
 n Most assuredly," declared the x Big Fellow. as one speaking with II authority.
 N You wouldn't mind explaining, \ would you?" requested Little Pal, N "and, at the same time, if not too much trouble, giving me your val J uable views on why black is al- x ways so much whiter than white" "That touch of sarcasm shows II you belong to the large and mis- taken class who think wines and J beers are lighter and more \ wholesome stimulant than whis- ' key. though there is larger and X constantly growing class who ! know to the contrary \ q listen with interest" said \ Little Pal.
 x Tn the first place." explained N the Big Fellow, when a man or x ders whiskey he modifies its |l strength to suit his taste; if he K takes a highbal1. charged water n reduces the strength of his whis- key to below the relative alcoholic N strength of an average glass of beer.
 \ And furthermore" continued |( the Big Fellow, you realize that
 \ neither wine nor beer, does he n modify to suit his taste, but con sumes as served to him. \ 'One ounce of whiskey is the \ usual drink. three ounces of wine \ is the usual drink and 12 ounces
 } of beer is the usual drink. Let's N do a little sum in arithmetic and \ see which is actually the strong est?" and taking a pencil the Big \ Fellow wrote:
 ) whiskey, 45-1OO per cent to the \ ounce, 1x45-45.
 ' Wine, 20-10O per cent to the \ ounce, 3x20--60.
 Beer, 5-100 per cent to the
 J ounce, 10x5-50.
 I Thus. you see. the average \ drink of whiskey really is m;lder
 2 than the average drink of beer, \ which is not particularly importzz.
 ! ant in itself, for it is not the x minute differences in the strength ' of a beverage, but the greatest
 \ degree of wholesomeness that ! should influence the consumer" |( "You have proved your first contention that drink of whis- D key is milder than a drink of the others, which I acknowledge is
 ! surprise to me. But do you really
 \ think whiskey is the most whole
 ! some also?"
 ] "No," said the Big Fellow, T don't think SOL know so!' 'I await your valued diagnosis"
 ] declared Little Pal. with what might be termed shade of skep-
 ] ticism. "Wili you favor me with a \ few Illuminating remarks2"
 \ T will. Wine is a wholesome
 J stimulant, yet wine is liable to sour on tte stomach. Beer is ] also a wholesome stimulant, yet, according to the authority of
 ] brewery advertisements them
 \ selves, beer is constantly subject,
 ! even though carefully handled
 \ and dramatically sealed, to the
 ! deterioration that causes bilious
 \ ness to many systems. Whiskey,
 \ on the other hand. is not only
 \ germless itself and germ-proof. \ but is the active aid in destroy
 ( ing germs Whiskey can't turn
 !, sour, whiskey can't ferment,
 \ whiskey cans germinate. Wine and beer are the result of one or ] another form of fermentation, N which is Natures lesser method |) of providing one of her most val uable properties-alcohol while J whiskey is the result of distilla- V tion, which is Natures highest Ij and absolutely germ proof method of doing the same thing. Thus y) while Nature is liable to play pranks with her fermented alco- y holics, she is ever the stern guar \ dian of the purity of her distilled Whiskey."
 ) 'T think I see the light" said Little Pal. And propose. there |) fore. that we precede lunch with N the pleasant, thirst -quenching ap- ' petite stimulating. food-assimila- N ing whiskey highball.'' N And they did.
 N * * x