The Washington herald., 1915-05-22
A Conversation with a Business Man

We do business together. but he Is q
good friend and sometimes comes into
my study for a chat-an intelligent man
approaching middle age. a little thin
and nervous. successful in business. with
a growing family in a nearby suburb.
| Our talk turned to the prohibition move
ment in which am interested-the pro-
hibition of anything consumed as food
or drink which does not promote body
! strength and efficiency.
! Il can't agree with you on this abso-
lutte prohibition measure" he said Il
smoke some-perhaps three cigars day
and I occa sionally take drink. I know
it doesn't hurt me. at my age"
DO you think nine cigars day would
hurt you, Mr.. CO" I asked.
Il certainly do think they would do
me serious HARM" was the reply.
well. then, your daily habit only one
! third seriously harms you. Is that 500"
Perhaps you have me there. he
laughed.
why did you leave the city and move
out to E. some years ago. Mr.. c." l
continued
"Oh, for the sake Of the children" he
quickly replied There Is practically no
vice element there. no saloons. the
schools are better"
"Ah. then. you don't want your son to
be able to get a glass of beer?
"CSytainly not"
WHY don't you want him to be able
to get 1t? Don't you train him to know
it is injurious?'
Yes, but l feel little safer II 1t Is
not placed in his way"
DO you want him to smoker"
Certainly not. at his age"
Therefore for all living purposes II
would suit you better if Els local pro-
hibition included tobacco as well as al
cohol?"
81 suppose It would" he admitted.
Moreover, why is there practically no
vice element in E.? You know as well as
do that it is because there are no sa-
looms Why are your schools better?
Because your jails and bridewells are
smaller and you are able to assess a
bigger school tax.
Don't you think that II We shut up
the saloons in Chicago We could decrease
the vice element and increase the Ell
ficiency of the schoolsT
Then he got behind that wall of. "Oh!
you couldn't do that in big city.
Then I took another line. You have .
good many employees. Mr.. c.. some in the
factory and some in the office. Would
you hire a man who drankT
Not II knew IT," he answered quick
ly. and then qualified. ''Of course. 1t Is
none of my business what they do out
of business hours"
Mr. c." said. what became OF that
nice-looking young foreman you had
three years ago. who got up that very
nice book for me-who had been with
your firm since he was boyT
Mr.. c. redeemed. You know very
well I was finally forced to DISCHARGE
him on account Of drinking bouts. He
was an excellent workman. intelligent,
sober and industrious between times. but
he would go on bouts. He lost one or
two inferior jobs after he left me. ana.
so far as I know. he has gone COM
pletely to the dogs"
Mr.. c." asked. "after that expert
ence can you say Il Il no business OF
yours what your men do out Of business
hours?"
"weil. perhaps not" he admitted.
II remember that there are signs up
in your clean. well-appointed factory to
the effect that no smoking II allowed
there"
"Dangerous-too much paper around.
he muttered quickly. smaling.
would you" continued. I'm your
Office. which b IN . firsproof building:
have . bookksepsr Who sznoked r
'2got ct his WORK: certainly not"