Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-07-10
MARS TAKES TO
THE WATERWAGON
He Finds That He Cannot Fight If
He Gets Drunk-Necessity Is the
Mother of Sobriety, the Twin
Brother of Invention.
BY WARREN GRAHAM PARTRIDGE


II the buzwagon" or the hydroplane. The
European war has been the giant to deal
John Barleycorn a solar-plexus blow which
has proved terrific knockout The prohibit
tion of the liquor traffic has achieved more
astounding victories in the last few months
than during the preceding 1000 years.
All nations are stirred by this widespread
revival in temperance sentiment and in tenn
perance legislation. Russia startled the
world by her sudden and drastic abolition OF
tho liquor traffic. It was war measure
Vodka drinking had become the national
habit. The State capitalized this almost uni
versal thirst for vodka, and from the de-
generacy of the people built up a colossal
Government monopoly, which brought hun
dreds of millions of dollars every year into
the national treasury.
The temperance people got the ear of the
Car, Of the Grand Duke in command Of the
army and OF others high in authority, and
the unexpected happened. It seemed like
thunderbolt from a clear sky. Vodka and
other intoxicants were absolutely prohibited
throughout Russia. 1t was an arbitrary
measure of an autocracy. But the very ex
istence Of the nation was at stake in this
unparalleled war. The nation and the indi-
viduals must make any sacrifice however
great for the life of the empire.
A Better Russia Without Vodka
What are the results at this hour? But
rejuvenated Russia appeared on the map of
Europe. The sleeping giant had awakened
from the stupor OF vodka and other intoxi-
cants; and the nations discovered that sober
and temperate Russian officers and soldiers
were the peers of any soldiers on earth. 1t
was an immense price for the Government to
f... H.
liquor traffic was s5OO,OOO, 900 annually And
Russia was in tremendous need of money to
equip the armies Today, in spite of the
extraordinary expenses of the war and the
disastrous effects upon all forms of bust
ness, the reports from Petrograd declare that
savings banks show an increase of deposits,
the people are prospering as never before
and there is revival In business, especially
In the sale of groceries, meats, clothing,
housefurnlshings and all useful articles A
nation has been redeemed.
But again the world felt the thrills when
England tackled the liquor traffic. Here
again the great war preclpltated the fight.
And the onslaught came from an unexpected
quarter. 1t was the visitation of deputa-
tion from the Shipbulldng Employers Asso-
citation to Chancellor David Lloyd George
that started the confagration. These ship
builders had a red-hot message to deliver.
Here was a great nation engaged in the
death grip of the greatest war in the history
of the world and the shipbuilders told the
Chancellor that England's supreme defense,
her overwhelming sea power was being
menaced by the curse OF strong drink.
These shipbuiders stated that the public
houses or saloons in the nelghborhood of the
shipyards have averaged a 40 per cent in
L., oFg g,,tN
ing the war. The liquor men saw that the
war gave them chance to get rich They
did not offer themselves as volunteers to de-
fend the country in the hour OF her dire peril.
But in their greed they saw that work in
the shipyards was abundant, that wages
were unusually high and that they could
reap big financial harvest.
And what was the result of the conspiracy
and avarice of the liquor dealers? There was
an industrial chaos in the shipbuilding
trades. In one shipyard the riveters have
been working on an average only 40 hours
week and in another yard only SO hours a
week. The saloons have occupied the re-
mainder of their time.
Drink England's Worst Foe
One instance among others was cited. A
big battleship needing immediate repairs
came into a large shipyard. She had been
busy in the dangerous work of patrol in the
North Sea. 1t was necessary for her to re-
turn at the earliest possible moment to her
important post of duty, She was put into
the drydock at once. Yet she lay untouched
for one entire day. because no riveters could
be secured to work on her, They were drink
ing and carousng in grogshops nearby.
No wonder that the patriotic Chancellor,
after hearing these reports from the ship
builders, exclaimed: I'VE are fighting Ger
many, Austria and drink and so far as l
can see, the greatest of these deadly foes is
drink, have the greatest conviction, based
on accumulating evidence. that nothing but
| root-and-branch methods would be of the
slightest avail in dealing with the evil. I
believe it is the general feeling that II we
are to settle with German milltarism we
must first OF all settle with liquor"
This tidal wave or prohibition Is spreading
to the British provinces Saskatchewan,
Canada, has taken action looking toward the
| abolition OF the liquor traffic throughout the
war, Montreal has enthusiastically approved
OF the stand taken by King George on the
! liquor question in Great Britain. And Pre-
mier Clarke OF New Brunswick, according
to the latest dispatches states that his Gov
ernment is considering the prohibition OF the
| sale OF lnLpAlchnts' premier murray, or Nova
! Scotia, takes the same stand. And the Prov
ince OF Ontario has powerful temperance
conviction. and is likely to line up with tbs
forces OF temperance
France has Joined England and Russia
and has prohibited the sale OF absinthe. Il
was a question OF self-defense. Francs
yearly consumed 5.as0,0oO gallons OF the bev.
erage. These great nations In the hour o.
their titanic fight for self-existence toin thl
forces Of prohibition or temperance Tor tn,
reasons OF efficiency. health. economic
strength and hghting power