The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1915-10-23
SALE OF LIQUOR
IS RESTRICTED

nothing SO drastic as the
measure of Russia has
been attempted in Sweden. there
has been since the beginning of the
war. a steady and systematic curtail-
ment in the sale of liquor, which is
regarded by temperance
as a decided step TOWARD
absolute prohibition. The Stockholm
system Of allowing each citizen only
a fixed quantity of s%pirituous drink,
which was inaugurated just after
the war started, has nov been ex.
tended to 81 of the 100 districts in
Sweden and according to a govern
ment order recently issued, will aft
er the first of the coming January
apply to the whole of Sweden.
The Stockholm system which al
every citizen in good standing
in the city to become a moderate
drunken, while effectively prevent
ing him from becoming a drunkard.
was ingeniously devised by DR.. Ivan
Bratt, present director of the system.
after all other expedients had
failed. DIR. Brat has been lauded,
condemned, idolized and %ridiculed,
and his work has become the theme
of almost daily discussion in the
newspapers of Sweden some OF
which criticise him for being too
moderate and others too extreme in
his reforms. But on one point all
are agreed. The system works.
In the first place, the liquor com
panies, while directed by private in
dividuals were practically made gov
ernI.ent concerns, for all profits
were to go to the government. This
removed any incentive on the part
of the directors to over production.
vision of the supply of liquor fur
nished to hotels, restaurants and
public bars. These places still had
a right to as much liquor as they
required, but they were only al
lowed profit on a reasonable amount
of trade. If they did business in X
cess of that amount fixed by The
government, they had to purchase
this additional supply at retail price
and were forced to sell at the same
price. This it would seem would
hare removed the jealous effort CT
hotel p~roprietors to make their Il
quor trade as large as possible.
But none of these expedients was
..aa~-.r-l nh %0xnl o,,
of liquor was scarcely diminished.
The amount of drunkenness in Swe-
den showed no decrease and hospi-
tails and medical records were as
full of alcoholic patients and cases
of Illness caused by alcoholism, as
before. 1t was evident that the de-
crease in the amount of liquor sold
at hotels and bars was offset by the
increased business done at the wine
stores where customers bought as
much bottled spirits as they liked
and took it home for consumption.
The book system which is now in
operation was devised by DR.. Bratt
at the beginning of the war. 1t al
lowed every citizen in good standing
to buy one litre and no more Of
spirituous liquor every five days. To
make this plan feasible, each person
was providtd with a small book re-
sembling a communication railroad
ticket, from which a coupon was
torn every time the bought
his litre of alcoholic beverage. AT
the same time, his book vas stamped
with the date of the purchase SO
that it would be clear to the dealer
when he made his last purchase.
Without showing his book no citizen
of Stockholm has the remOtest
chance of obtaining a bottle of Ii
quor anywhere in the city. The reg
ulation is rigidly enforced.
1t is true that in some cases OK
ceptions are made. If one can per
suade the authorities that on account
of his social position and the de-
of constant entertainment one
litre every five days is totally made
quate and if the authorities are con-
WINGED that such a person can be
trusted with more liquor without
abusing the privilege conferred up
on him, he is then given a special
license to purchase two, three or
more litres, according to the circum-
stances. On the other hand if the
person is a notorious drunkard, has
a police record, or has in any other
incurred the displeasure OF the
authorities, he is allowed no liqnor
at all. For purposes of ascertain
ing the standing of the citizen in the
an elaborate card catalog
system is maintained at the central
bureau and all questions of allow
ing any person more or less than the
ordinary amount of liquor are re
to this.
The results of this system are al
ready remarkable. In 1914 the total
consumDtiOn of spirituOuS liquors