The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-10-15
Drinking DECLINES
\ UNDER REGULATIONS
According To Lord D'Aber-
non OF Liquor Central
Board.

LONDON, Sept 18-(Correspond-
ence of The Associated Press)-
I Drunkenness and deaths from alcohol
ism in the United Kingdom show n de.
!. cline ranging from 65 to so percent.
ssince the war regulations against
sdrinking were Instituted by the gov
ternment three years ago, according
ITO Lord D'Abernon, chairman of the
Liquor Control Board.
Abolition of the custom of treat
ing. and drinking on an empty stom-
sSch and the virtual extinction of the
;rsRloon loafer. were the main factors
econtributing to the growing tendency
Ito national temperance, Lord DAber.
mon told The Associated Press.
"The lines on which we have pro.
sceeded," he continued, are to large
aiextent novel and they have succeeded
beyond expectation. Nor is there any
sevidence of growth of the drug habit,
which is uually one of the conse-
1quences of too drastic interference
with facilities for obtaining liquor.
"This happy absenie of undesirable
Features ] attribute to the fact that,
swhlle facilities have been greatly cur
stailed-the liquor shops being open
sfiye and a half hours daily compared
with Is or 10 before the war-Our ar
arrangement of two periods, one at mid.
iday and the other in the evening, has
been found sufficient by those who de.
3sire reasonable refreshment and moth
sing more, and those are of course the
svast majority of drinkers. We are not
sout to interfere with them. 1t is the
slOafer and sOaker, who would drink IL
Che could from dawn to dusk, who in.
sferferes with national efficiency and
I whom we are out to stop. think we
s:have succeeded in that"
I Drinking on an empty stomach, he
sremarked, was one cause of intOxica.
lion which the hour fixed for the sale
@sOf liquor tend to check. Those hours
ARE from noon to 2:30 and from $3.50
ITO $3.50 In the evenings. Most drinks
consequently are taken with meals.
On charts illustrating the temper.
lanco advance In England and Wales.
lord D'Abernon traced the decline of.
sills incident to alcoholism. .The de.
;lfrium tremens and alcohol mortality
figures" he said. "are Of special i'm.
pprtnnce as showing that there cannot
have been any diversion of excessive
drinking from the public house to the
home.
lie thought that the abolition OF
treating had also contributed largely
Ito the gain In temperance. This
measure" he said, had as 1t objective
/, the elimination of the custom where
Tby groups of workers after receiving
their weeks wages, spent consid.
! cradle part of II in standing their cor.
ners,' until each member of the party
had In turn paid for drinks all round
Ito the detriment both of their work.
Ing efficiency and of the happiness of
their wives and families. The wonder.
ful sobriety of the army and navy IL
due In no small degree to the restric
ti0ns on treating.
Altogether, we have much reason
for satisfaction. Under conditions
which on previous occasions had led
to a great increase of intemperance--
the great dmand for labor. plentitude
OF money. perpetual excitement and
lstrain--we In this country are able to
record an unprecedented decrease of
ftntemperance. There has been great
having OF national efficiency, n great
wing of life and Improvement In the
'lic health.
No similar progress has, so far as
m aware, been accomplished In
country at any period. The Brit.
ish public have shown their compre.
hension of the vital importance of
maximum national efficiency by ac.
tcepting severe discipline In the best
possible spirit. Now that the immense
national benefit IL proved, they will
certainly never go back to pre.war
icOnditions"