Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-07-27
BRITAIN HAS &,
One FOOT ON
WATER WAGON
Says the Idea is a Very Fine
One-But There's No
Mad Haste.
o FIJI
HAS BEEN
Lord D'Abernon, Chief Of
Liquor Control Board tells
Interesting Story.
Bx Kenneth w. Payne.

London, July 27.-0ne. of the really
constructive lessons foryAmerica fur
nished by Britain's. wartime experE
ence lies in the way the liquor prob.
lem has been handled in England.
England stands today with one foot
on the water wagon and seems to be
slowly climbing to an even mor SCI
cure posture thereon. The nation has
been induced to this step without
shock, without violent opposition, and
in fact. almost without knowing 1t.
The central control board for liquor
traffic here in England, has just sub
mitted a report on the extraordinary
success which has followed the Brit
ish policy of treating the liquor ques-
ton as a distinct problem by itself,
and not saddling it onto other prob
lens.
In 1918 the convictions for drunk
eness in the boards area in England
and Wales-which include nine
tenths of the population of the coun-
try-totalled over 1870, 1000. In 1916,
control, they had been more than cut
in half. The total convictions were
80,759, with a weekly average of
1,544. The steadily progressive ef-
feet of liquor control regulations is
shown by the fact that for the period
Of 1917 to May 20 this weekly aver
age had been further reduced to
1893.
In ar interview today for The Her
aid Lord D'Abernon, chairman of the
central control board for liquor traf-
fic, explained the liquor situation ir
England.
"It has been the first attempt tc
deal with the liquor problem on sci.
NNnrtSRo 1f~no - q .1N1 npAhaNr0r caSI
"Our methods were in many respects
quite novel. We have had no desire
to impose hardships on the trade, an6
our restrictions were decided upor
only after careful consideration and
consultation with the local authori.
ties.
THE first restriction was the limit.
ing of hours in which liquor might be
sold to- meal times. This means three
hours in the evening, two and a hall
at midday, and a somewhat shorter
period on Sundays.
1.-THE result has been highly bene'
fetal to the health of the consumer
It has prevented men hanging around
saloons all through the day. It has
checked habits such as early morn
ing drinking, and has greatly i'm
proved the conditions of labor in pub.
lie houses.
ANOTHER new departure. was tn,
compulsory dilution Of spirits. Thu
previous law enacted that spirits mus
be strong-stronger than a specified
number Of degrees under proof. Gu
new regulation makes them weak
The practice of drinking spirits nea
prevails widely in the north, an
workers there. cannot now poisol
themselves with this fiery liquor a
they formerly did.
1.-THE abolition of treating has beel
another novel and most successful ACT
This had become ar onerous socia
custom from which drinkers them
selves were glad to be freed.
Things have reached the poin
where men working in squads had t
stand drinks all ruond the squad be
fore they could take their wage
home. And among commercial trav
elers it was so much the custom tina
trades could send on the road onl
men with exceptionally strong heads
1.-The abolition of treating has bee
a great success, n though time vii
be required before so old a custom
is completely abolished, it is safe t
say rs per cent of it has already bee
done away with.
Nothing astonishss American OF
servers more thar the way these re
strictions have been accepted by tn
public, gradually bringing about con
ditions of temperance without nos
tili,y or friction. Our success is du
to the fact that the whole liquo
question has been handled as the sep
arate, distinct problem which
really is.
THE liquor control board come
to an end one year after the war, bu
the whole problem of regulation g
liquor traffic will have been prd
foundry modified by it's action and eS
perience.
''It has been shown that men ca
be made sober without p%rohibitio
and without fanatical restriction
Things will never slip back to the oil
evil conditions"