The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-12-21
DOMAIN OF TEMPERANCE
SUBSTITUTES FOR THE sALooNa

p )
These are the last days OF the sa-
loon The question as to Wnat snall
ba substituted was agitated at re-
cont conference Of Y. M. 9. A. ON
cers The chairman of the Commits
sion on Ungrasped and Undevelopea
nnnortnnities Among Industrial Work
erso said in this discussion:
t1f the social needs now proVldea
for nv the saloon are to pc met
nlaces must be opened that VIII al
ford former patrons OF the saloonS
more of the features that Appealed 10
them in the saloon. ~ Sucn
substitute for the saloon should maAe
possible some or all of the folloWlns n
Democratic conditions, low COSTS
rooms. refreshments, privileges adapt
ed to the economic level OF the men,
recreation, billiards, bowling, etc., crea'
ture comforts, sociability, congenlal at
mosphere. intellectual stimulus, free
dom of discussion, employment Tea
lures, the kind of contacts that Will
develop the Christian character.
There is a great unexplored land
waiting for the incursions OF COM
mission with such an objective. This
chairman, though, is treading main
travelled road, whose environments
present evidences of extraordinary
development. Every foot of the way
is bordered with great acres OF mag
nificent parks, miles of excellently
equipped bathing beaches, enormous
municipal and private structures,
housing great concert auditorlums,
dancing pavilions and restaurants,
residences of athletic, fraternal ana
social bodies, theaters amending,
neighborhood and parish clubs, social
centers, community houses, amuse-
ment parks with their maddening as
sortment of death-daring rides and
wild gyrations, natatoriums, gymnasi-
ums, athletic fields, skating Kinks,
bowling and billiard halls, boating
ponds, free libraries, art institutes and
museums of every sort.
All these lie along the path and all
render to man, no matter what his
station in life, one or more of the
services, each according to it's partic-
ular adoption, which the chairman
would center in that new institution
he purposes to substitute for the sa-
loon. What he would do is merely
to add to the existing social agencies.
Analysed the institutions above men
toned are all, in some degree, sub
stitutes for the saloons, and provide
every possible creature comforts, en-
tertainment and intellectual stimulus.
But going bit farther in our analy-
sis, we face the fact that, ultimately
all these agencies are in greater or
smaller degree, substitutes for the
home.
No sane man would disparage ade-
quate opportunities for innocent
amusement and recreation, for sound
entertainment and instruction for the
populace. Today the city dweller,
from common laborer to corporation
chief, has for his leisure hours all
the possibilities for enjoyment that
laird's estate could offer-and many
more. But when the poor man has
tasted of these pleasures to the ex-
| ICuL IIldI 1AIo PURSE Will pGIM1ty u0
must return to the filth and, squalor
of his tenement howell Chicago two
years ago spent approximately $780,
900 for municipal pier which, except
for the recreational services it rem
ders to the city, and now for the hous-
ing of enlisted men, is purely orna-
mental; but the Chicago slums in the
past ten years have become, if any
thing, a greater horror Had Chicago
spent an amount equal to the cost
of that pier in an effort to provide
decent housing conditions in the con-
gested areas, there would be less
cause for complaint And the cost
of that municipal pier represents an
Insignificant portion of the annual ma
tional expenditure to augment and Ella
borate our facilities for amusement
anu lecledtlon' America.