Semi-weekly herald., 1915-05-06
HOW EUROPES WAR is WORK
ING TOWARD TEMPERANCE.
(By Lafayette Young.l

ed that Intoxicating drinks were in
no sense an aid in the prosecution
of war. A few centuries ago it was
thought best to have soldiers partly
intoxicated in order to make them
fight better. No longer ago than
the American revolution Paul Jones
and other naval commanders gave
their men grog freely to help along
the battle.
However this is an efficiency
age, an age of machinery and Of
science. Therefore sobriety is re-
quired. First of all the Japanese
in their war against Russia DEM
onstrated what sobriety and a
light diet would do in winning
battles. The Russian army in
Japan was not noted for sobriety
and the world knows the result.
When these great wars begun Rus
sia was quick to abolish the manu-
facture and sale of that peculiar Rus
sian drink called "Vodka," which has
in itself inspiration for all kinds of
meanness. 1t was quickly discovered
that the Russian is better man sober
than drunk. He fights better and the
Russian people have been piling up
money in savings banks since vodka"
was put out of business. Vodka"
was strong drink, not different
much from raw alcohol. The Rus
sian czar did not temporize with the
matter and had an easy job in stop
ping it because the manufacture of
vodka" had been a government func-
ton.
The Problem in France.
France found herself with a prob
lem in regard to intoxicants. The
French people are noted for their
saving habits and for their use Of
light wines, but in recent years they
have been drinking "absinthe," pc
culiar stuff which at first makes the
victim feel joyous and then gets on
kill somebody.
"Absinthe" insinuates itself, like a
subtle poison and acts directly upon
the nervous system. 1t disturbs the
mental balance, and leads to crimes
of violence. In night restaurant
in French community year or two
ago, a man rose suddenly from his
place behind the tilted champagne in
the ice-pail, and, drawing his revolver,
fired at and killed well known Paris
actor. The affair created great SEN
sation but hid no dark and intimate
secret; it was merely case of drink.
The man was an absinthe fiend under
the influence of momentary madness
All he knew about it next morning
was that he was in prison charged
with murder.
Absipthe Poison.
Absinthe is a poison more powerful
in murderous impulses than any 9TH
er In case under recent notice "A
laborer maddened by absinthe and
armed with long knife, rushed down
a village street not far from Paris.
The inhabitants took shelter in their
homes. A stone flung by youthful
David struck the mailman on the fore
head. Thus he was reduced to sub
lection.
In the large centers the working
classes have been debauched and ruin
ed physically by this poisonous drink
which in the early stages produces
an agreeable feeling of intoxication.
By its continued employment the
character becomes changed. To the
brightness and gaiety of the first ef.
fects succeed the somber brutishness
1t is generally taken on an empty
stomach to revive the appetite, it af-
fects nutrition and acts directly on the
nervous system.
Llnacy Doubled.
Some of the features are the tend
ency to nervous agitation. insomnia
and Nightmares. These are followed
by what might be called insanjty. Abb
sinthe has doubled lunacy in France
during the past thirty years. The
asylums are full and new ones are
needed. The insanity exists chiefly
where the consumption of absinthe is
highest and the descendants of absin-
the drinkers suffer for the sins of
the fatherss. In recruiting for this
war many conscripts are rejected in
the absinthe ridden districts because
OF mental deficiency and other signs
o. degeneracy.
| have observed the statistics given
In detail in regard to the increased
use of absinthe in certain provinces
OF France. In certain province the
people absorb more than 65 per cent
AtaI