The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-05-03
Effect Of the New British
War Taxes to Lessen
Drinking
IRONWORKERS
DOING LESS
Than in Peace Time-Less
Drunkenness in
London

London, May 3.-Those people of the
British isles who Saturday went to buy
their supplies of wines and spirits for
J Sunday found that the prices had been
increased in proportion to the new taxes
which the government proposes to levy
in its effort to lessen drinking and in
crease the output of munitions of war.
The price of whiskey and brandy per
bottle had been increased by so cents,
(which meant difference of SO to those
people who bought by the gallon. This
increase was made despite the fact that
all stocks had been taken out of bond
long before the new taxes were levied,
and therefore had cost the dealers no
more than usual The dealers explained,
however, that the demand had been SO
great that they were compelled to con-
serve their supplies, wholesale dealers
having for some time, in anticipation
of the new legislation, refused to deliver
goods at the old prices. The price of
beer has not yet been affected, nor did
whiskey and brandy cost more when
bought by the glass, except in few
places. Wines varied according to the
class of the places where they were
! bought.
Meantime protests from the trade con-
| tinue Burton brewers in a resolution
passed at a meeting Saturday declared
that the surtax on the Burton output
alone would amount to upward of &C.,
900 600 sterling tS30,000,000l and that |
it would prove destructive to the whole |
trade and unnecessary and would not |
of work, besides depriving shareholders
of their capital. As regards pale ale, for |
which the town is famous, the resolution |
stated that the proposed increased tax
together with the war tax levied last
November, would amount to over 700 |
per cent.
Ireland would be particularly hard hit,
for outside of whlskey the Irish brewers
make a large part of the heavier beers
consumed in the world, and the tax on
these would be very heavy. Newspapers,
which few weeks ago favored absolute
prohibition, oppose the new proposals,
which, they insist, are unfair To the
trade ad unnecessary and would not
achieve the object aimed at. The bishop
OF London Saturday urged the public to
sacrifice drink for the general good. Ii
would make the people realize, he said,
that there really was a war, and he
asked his hearers to back up the govern
ment in Its brave efforts to grapple
with an evil which was throttling the ,
nations life"
Official figures of the number of hours
lost by the ironworkers of the Clyde and
the northeastern coast OF England. pre-.
because OF the lure of drink,
show that the men engaged in the me- Z
chanical equipment of the army and
navy are doing less work now than be-
fore the war. During the month of :
March, 80 per cent. OF the men worked !
under 40 hours week. including over.
time. Virtually 80 per cent. worked less
han Is hours week. The ordinary
number Of hours work in time of peace
was 30 hours.
These statistics. therefore, mean that =
ialf Of the men in the metal and ship.
building trades in Englsnd's great iron.
working district are working less than d
light hours a day on a siX-days' week. A
For this showing. drink il held largely.
Ilthough not entirely, responsible. Many =
Il the best men Joined the army in the y
arly part Of the war. Prolonged over. y
ime has caused part Of the present force
o break down. An element Of the So. :
ialist party also has had considerable
influence on the workers by teaching
hat the war IL purely a oapitalistic
fair. in which the workers have no
irect concern lie
Sunday closing has been in operation b.
D Scotland for many years. thus cutting Il
n the workers in the great shipbuildng VI
ards along the Clyde from liquor for II
ne day = week. Whether the English
olice possibly have grown more lax and
he Scottish police more active since the
ar began. the fact remains that arrests
" drunkenness show an increase in
cotlahd and a decrease in England 4
ieut.-Col Ferguson. inspector II con. er
.abulary Of Scotland. saws in his report vi
v 1914 that the cities and towns Of his We
'untry show an increase Of 6s5 IN the "
Imber II persons arrested for drunken. u
'ss. and the country districts an in M
ease II s99--0r a total increase ~
sea.
In contrast. The great English manu-. No
turing city II Manchester shows only !,
= cszes If drunkenness for January a,
"a February Of this wear. a. against h.
52a for the same months II 1914, with -,
corresponding falling ~ in crime. The -,
lndpn police speak - notable decline -,
arrests there and report that the ar -,
Ste foT drunkenness during the recent
,ster holidays were the fewest IN roe. l
a. They also sav that thev have besn = !
Firlsuf 80 ever IN srrestfng offenders -,
this tlHss -.