The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1917-05-31
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tant. lie could set free for food pro-
duction or for military purposes q
large part Of the workers whom he
requires, by virtue Of his demand, TO
work in the manufacture Of liquor
or tobacco. AZ the time Of the last
census. nearly eight years ago, the
number Of persons engaged in the
production Of distilled and malt
liquors. apart from those engaged in
their distribution. as bartenders,
waters, restaurant keepers, etc, was
about 1900. About three-quarters
" these were males over six
teen years Of age. The number Of
persons engaged in the manufacture
Of tobacco, not counting those en-
gagged in selling IL or advertising il,
was $4,000, and the number has
doubtless increased very greatly
since that time. with the increase in
the consumption. or these, 10000
we're males over sixteen years Of age.
There is at present o great short
age of farm labor, and we are draft
ing women and children, as well as
men. Ia the farm. II We could give
up the consumption Of whisky and
beer. we should release some $1,000
people. IT We could cut our con-
sumption of tobacco in half. we
should probably release over 100000.
To de- this. IT would only be neces-
sary for tobacco users to content
themselves with the amount which
now satisfies our ally, Great Britain.
In the year before the war, our con-
sumption of tobacco was over 5ia
pounds per capita, or more than pa
times that Of the United Kingdom.
II seems clear, from what has been
stated. that all Of us who consume
alcoholic drinks and tobacco are
either directly or in directly cutting
into the food supply Of the world "a
effectively as a submarine which
torpcdoes a food ship. and each
drinker Of whisky and beer and each
user Of tobacco has virtually become
a one-man submarine, each doing his
hit. That bit seems small tn the in
dividual because ~ the small price
of a single cocktail or a single cigar
cite. and "a long a. We can afford the
expenditure, We give the matter
little thought. Few know how much
they spend individually on such
things in the course Of a year, AMI
Stl!l fewer realize how great Is the
aggregate for the country. Alcoholic
drinks absorbed in 1915, according To
the American Grocer, about 1900
100000, and | have estimated that
tobacco takes from ~ ,2OO,O00,OO0 TO
81. 800. 100000. Assuming only the
lower figure, the people Of the
country spend on these two items
about s2,sOO0o0,Oo0 a year. or nearly
four times the total ordinary expen-
diture OF the United States Govern
ment, including the interest on the
public debt, for the last fiscal year.
II the many people who are doing
such splendid patriotic work IN
other fields would decide Ia cut of
but a fraction Of their expenditure
on these two items. they would in
crease the available food supply OF
the world they would save some
of their own money for public pur-
poses, they would set free thous-
ands Of hands for agriculture, and
they would, Incidentally, by cut
ting alcohol and nicotine out OF
their systems, keep themselves III
better condition for public service.
This line OF thought will doubtless
be distasteful to many readers
but we are confronting realities
now, and il behooves US all to look
the facts in the face, even though
they may run counter To some OF
our most cherished habits.