Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-02-01
Schools or Saloons?


Our reply was that it is a serious
period in the life of the world, and he
came back with:
I'VE could not expect to withdraw
twenty millions of the worlds best
manhood from productive activities
and launch them upon a four-years
campaign of intensive destruction,
with all the one hundred millions
said to be entirely engaged in back
ing those uestroyers) without vital eff
feet upon all the people of the earth.
And still further consideration which
We must face is that worse conditions
must come, even if the destruction
ends today. The balance cannot be
regained in one year. or two"
And then we drifted into specific
effects. inconsistencies and blunders,
reaching dessert on the closing of the
schools. There we had some interest
ing statistics, just at hand which our
friend urged be given the public. So
here goes:
Many schools are being closed in
northern and eastern cities because of
the fuel famine. Our own city closes
its schools for the same reason that
other cities do the same. Boston, for
instance. With relation to the latter
city, Prof Mark r. Shaw, Eastern
District Secretary of the Intercolles
late Prohibition Association has com
piled some interesting figures. He
finds that Boston breweries use con-
siderably more coal than Boston pub
lie shoots. He also finds that these
same breweries consume more food
stuffs than is required to feed all the
$4,000 school children of that city
We might insert, right here, that
Augusta schools are closed because sc
much fuel las been used in the booze
business, not here but elsewhere, and
that we are suffering food shortages
of various kinds for the reason that
food enough to feed millions has been
and is being converted into poison
Gus waste. War and contributing
evils are bringing us to restitution and
starvation.
In view of the present discussion
regarding the wisdom of conserva :
ton policy which closes the public
scholastic most constructive agency
in our society, along with the church
eswhile leaving non essentials, and
even destructive agencies like the sa-
looms, open IS hours a day. some def
mite figures are pertinent.
The Annual Report of the Business
Agent of the Boston School Committee
gives the total number of tons of Goa
used by the schools. and also the cost
Of heat. power and light for the en-
tire school system. Corresponding fig
ures for the saloons do not seem tc
be available, but the last United States
! Census Report 1910 does give the
total cost Of heat, light and power fol
the manufacturers of malt liquor il
Boston for the year ending June 80
1909. Taking the school figures for the
same year. we have the following
comparison for 1903:
Fuel cost for heat lgiht and power
for Boston public schools, 1909 $l49,
9S7
Fuel cost for heat light and poWel
for Boston breweries. 1909. $l61,565.
According to the last printed Repor
Of the School Committee G917) the
Boston schools used in 1916 27,S20 ton:
Of coal costing s145,364 and the tota
cost of heat. light and power for 1917
was s2o49l92e. Since 1909 there ha:
been an increase of 10 per cent in tn,
amount oe coal used. and an increase
! Of about Is per cent in the price O.
coal, as shown by this report.
The reports of the internal revenu,
department show that there has beer
an increase Of 1919 per cent in tbs
beer production in Massachusetts, il
1915 over the year 1909 Assuming
that this increase would hold for Bos
! ton (Which makes 81 per cent of the
beer III Massachusetts and that there
was corresponding increase in the
amount of coal used coco and thai
the increase in price Of coal to the
brewers would be the same as to the
schools Q5cc) we have the following
! Fuel cost for heat. light and power
for Boston schools, 1916, s204,919.26.
Fuel cost for heat, light and power
for Boston brewers, 1916, Est. s222,,
10000
According to figures submitted BY
Professor 7. y. Carver Economies
and Professor Walter 3. Cannon
! physiology Of Harvard. the brewers
in the United States used in l91t
enough foodstuffs to supply the energy
requirement of about 100000 working
men for year. The reports of thu
internal revenue department show tina
Boston brewers make 2.5 per cent o.