The Washington herald., 1916-09-27
An Efficiency Awakening.
By ORIsoN SWEET MARpEN.


When Edison, the greatest living inventor,
was asked his reason for not drinking, he said:
Il have better for my brain"
French statistics show that the percentage of
soldiers addicted to the habit of drinking in ex-
cess who had died from slight wounds since the
beginning of the war has been enormous, in
hnitely greater than the percentage of deaths Of
temperate soldiers from the same
Although the greatest wine growing country
in the world, with millions of people dependent
on the grape industry for a living, France real
ICES this danger of the drink evil, as there is a
nationwide campaign on for its abolition. 1--WE
can positively assert" says Jean Finot, one Of
the leaders of the movement that, sooner or
later, drink will disappear from Fair France"
England, finding that the drink habit was
seriously affecting her national efficiency, both
in war work and in other vital industries, also
set herself to remedy the evil. AS result there
has been a greatly increased demand for prohi-
bition. The Strength of Britain" movement
was organized by business men for this end.
The organization recently presented to Parlia-
ment a memorial demanding suspension of the
liquor traffic during the war; the ground of
national duty to Great Britains allies, to the
army and the feet, and the conserving of the
strength of the nation for present dangers and
future needs"
The memorial was signed by men of all
ranks and callings, including representatives Of
the Order Of Merit the privy council, Parlia-
ment, the army and navy, universities, great
Shlpbullding companies, muntion workers, and
large business firms, men eminent in science and
art and leading citizens in all parts of the
country
Germany in spite of her worldwide reputa-
ton for efficiency is also demanding restriction
in regard to the drinking of the national bev-
crage.
In Russia, the prohibition of the sale of the
national curse-vodka-even within the short time
it has been in force, has worked transforma-
ton in the Russian peasant that is almost in
credible. Foreigners who have recently visited
Russia speak enthusiastically of the increased
efficiency of the people.
While the nations engaged in the desperate
European conflict have seen through the eyes of
their recognized leaders that success and sur
vival are intimately dependent on temperance
it is astonishing that many progressive Amer
leans still sanction the drink evil by what they
call moderate drinking"
There large number of men and women
in this country who would think it great dis
grace to get drunk and yet it would be much
better for them, physically at least, to do so
occasionally than to keep their brains and nerves
uedutneu, IN a state OF Seml-Stupor much of the
time, by tppling.
I would say to those people what Henry
Ward Beecher used to say to the men in his
church,: "lf you want to use your brain to the
best advantage don't fudde it with liquor"
The man who constantly drinks though he
may never be drunk deliberately throws away
quite large per cent of his possibilities Even
II by nature he is capable of excellence in his
specially, he or later drops to the rear
because his brain is habitually deadened by
drink
l know Of some of these habitual drinkers
who boast that they are never drunk They saw
that drink never interferes with their work. but
they do not realize its deadening bIghting in
fuence upon it, because the deterioration is so
Insduous, so seductive and gradual as to be
almost lmperceptible at first, but its deadly work
is accomplished none the less surely.
The albumen in the brain and nerve cells is
extremely susceptible to alcohol 1t absorbs it
very rapidly when introduced into the system.
and as we all know, alcohol hardens everything
1t touches, and when it hardens it deadens sensi-
bility. 1t is because of the disastrous effect of
alcohol on the brain that hard drinkers deteri-
crate so rapidly both physically and mentally
Considered from the standpoint of efficiency
alone, fuddling with liquor is the worst kind of
enemy, for it poisons the very source of brain
power.
Copyright, 1851