The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-09-16
EXCESSIVE DRINKING
HAS DECLINED
Although the Annual Drink Bill of Brit
ish Isles Has Greatly Increased
Since 1918, Not Half Drunk
enness Seen Now.

London, Sept. l6 Correspondence of
the Associated Press Before the war
the people of this country spent $780,
100000 a year for drink. Now they
spend 81 ,200,O00,000 Nevertheless there
is not half the drunkenness in these
war times that there was in 1918. Heavy
taxation to provide war funds accounts
for the publics increased drink bill, not
further indulgence. In fact, excessive
drinking has declined more than 80 per
cent, and there has been an enormous
gain in national efficiency.
All this has come about, Lord D'Aber.
non, chairman Of the liquor control board,
told the Associated Press, as a result Of
the war regulations introduced by the
government.
There is great ground for hope" he
said, that the progress made toward
| Temperance under war conditions won {
be lost that it viii be continued by
post war action along lines similar to
| the restrictions now in force"
Such action must come, if taken, from
Parliament. The life of the present reg
Iulations viii terminate one year after
peace has been declared. According TO
| Lord D'Abernon, it is certain that the
country never viii 60 back to prewar
! conditions.
| The boards regulations limiting the
hours for the sale Of liquor, cutting down
/ the alcoholic content Of both spirits and
beer, and abolishing treating were taken
to rather kindly, on the whole, in Lord
D'Abernon's opinion.
"There has been very little friction,
| he said I'VE have had some complaints
/ to the effect that ii costs an enormous
amount o. n Irey to get drunk now hut
that is exactly what should be the case
The question of the price of alcoholic
drinks compared to that of food is very
important. If liquor is too cheap that
| fact leads TO over. indulgence. The duty
on beer is now seven times what it was
10 years ago, and the duty on spirits
also has been greatly increased.
1T is clear that public opinion will not
tolerate return TO the bad conditions
which undoubtedly existed before the
war. 1t is recognized that the present
system affords basis for a permanent
settlement of the drink question accept
able to all"
More than twice as much money il
spent in England for drink as for bread
and the outlay just about equals the ex
penditures for meat.
After the war the governments yearly
revenues from duties on drink are ex
pected to amount to from S500,000,0 0t
to S75O,000,000 a sum almost equal t
the total tax revenue before the war.
England has been noted for its heavy
stout, bitters and ale, and the brewer
thought that dilution would greatly in
lure their business. But they have dom
far better than they thought was pos
sible.
The quantity of alcohol in beer ha
been reduced by nearly two-thirds
Great improvement has been made in tn
manufacture of light beers, which ar
said to be growing steadily in favor
The strength of spirits before the wa
averaged about % degrees under proof
They have been weakened, under tn
regulations, to an average Of between 8
and 40 under proof
In discussing the sharp decrease i
! heavy drinking, Lord D'Abernon said
! might be thought that the absence fror
, the country Of millions of soldiers wa
? responsible in large measure for the i'm
provement. This idea, he pointed out
! was refuted by statistics which Shove
the decrease in drinking by women wa
lust as great as that by men.
: No grain is now being used in Englan
for making spirits, The manufacture G
whiskey was stopped two years agt
) Concerning beer, Lord D'Abernon said
"The net total Of cereals used annual
: for brewing is approximately $4,000