The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-10-03
ABSENTEE DIES HARD l l DESPITE THE LAW
Artificial Drinks Resem- bling It in Flavor and
 Color Obtainable

Si<s|ssE sss
 Paris, September 10.-(Correspond- ence of the Associated Press. )-Ab- sinthe is dying hard in France. Arti- fioial drinks resembling it in color and flavor are obtainable in spite of the vigilance of the authorities, and it is even asserted that stocks of the real beverage on hand at the date of the prohibition. and paid for by the govern ment are finding their way to the con sumer Numerous new decoctions have also been put on the market to replace It. The traffic Is encouraged by an unlocked for resistance to anti-alco- holic legislation in parliament.
 The wine shop plays in French pol itics>a role similar to that of the Amer tcan saloon, hence the reluctance oI the deputies to follow the military au- thorities in the radical measures they have taken and to support the govern ment in proposed legislation forbid ding the sale of any drink testing over 15 degrees of alcohol. The first open resistance was in the form of an ap- peal to the state council from the or ders of military commanders. prohibit ing the sale of intoxicating drinks in their regions. They declared it was not in conformity with the laws of ls49 governing the working of martial law. The state council upheld the or ders Of the military commanders. The next step originated in the parli- ament Itself, in the proposed limita ton of martial law to the zone of operations of the armies. Pressure was brought to bear upon the press and upon parliament by the National IJninn al and Liquor Dealers. who threatened to withdraw advertisements from the newspapers. and political support from the deputies unless the anti-liuuor campaign were stopped. The big dis tiflers further complicated the situa- tion by drawing the private distillers in. The private distillers in some de- partments exert the same influence up- on politicians as the city wine shops Their interests are not the same as those of the professional distillers but the menaces to their privilege have obliged them to join hands with re- sisting clements.
 Monsieur Joseph Reinach, one of the leading temperance advocates, declares that it will be impossible to abrogate the abolition of absinthe. On the oth- CT hand, the radicals and radical so- cialists, the most considerable group of the chamber. numbering I'll out of a total of SIP members, show a disposi- ton to oppose the government in the reforms proposed. The proposition to terminate the regime of martial law in the rear of the field operations orig mated with them To them, also is attributed pressure brought to bear upon Minister of the Interior Malvy to suspend administrative measures re- stricting the sale of alcoholic bever- ages.
 The general public takes little in- terest in the controversy. having taken the prohibitive measures with good grace, Tn the workingmen's districts, particularly, the absence of absinthe is little deplored and temperance advo- cates declare that if the radical ele- ments of the chamber oppose the re- form. they will have once more mis- understood public opinion and have made one more blunder.