The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-31
PEACE TREATIES SHOULD
Be WATERFRONT
American BOYS Rather Than
Foreign Wine Industries.

In the now dispensation that will
come our of the peace treaties there
must be no expression OF false friend
ship. as would be the case IL provis-
Ton were made for keeping open wine
markets for the wine making coun-
! tries IN The countries that have
reached the stage of progress that de-
( mands freedom from alcohol We
all know the obstacle that was placed
in the way OF Find'ands twice voted
proh ihf'ion by the wine merchants of
France. and the pressure they brought
~ bear against restrictive measures
contemplated In Norway and Sweden.
In shutting our markets to foreign
wines and liquors We shall be doing
no unkindnesS, hut q good service to
tho countries that produce them
With due notice in advance, they may
he saved tho mistake OF either en-
! 'arginE that business or continuing
! n at it's former extent. And hy thus
Encouraging the vine and LIQUOR pro-
ductioa we shall he aiding those pa
irio's m France and the other wine
producing countries who are con-
Seious Of its damage at home, but SO
far powerleSs agains. the great pow
ers OF the liquor interests 20 curb
them.
One OF The greatest obstacles We
, shall meet in opposing an imported
wine trade will be from those who
stili believe that wine has not harmed
France. They do not know the real
cferts Of H. For more Than n gen
GRAFTON The doctrine has been rronul-
gated u. France that only alcohol"
by which il meant only the distilled
( liquors IL harmless; that wine i. a
"hyrenic'' drink How Intellectual
this teaching has heen in stopping
" hat leading Frcrchmen call the
curse Of their countrv-~alc ofisn-~
may be seen from, the following ex~
tract taken from, a recent book. "A
CRUSADER Of France" by Captain
Ferdinand belmont. with foreward
by Henry bordeaux.
40 describe the journey ae the
fronD as a pleasant trip would be ex
iagKeration but one must take things
AS they come and put M with the
means In reGuisjtion fthirty-two men
In each compartment 18th eight
h O r. cs} " h or h y. everybody is
crammcd rell NEIL without distinction
Of either rank or class, and with half
tbesmen more or less intoxicated"
o nanother page this paragraph oc-
ours.
III liz here realize the abomina-
Bile action Of alcohol on the working
clags population of towns and even Of
those Of the country. AT the medical
inspection ii Is indeed lamentahie
spectacle TO see these CAPITAL fellows
nf twenty six or twenty ~eight--miners
Of the Loire or day lahorers from
everyW here-~with uicertsted stornachs.
! fatty hearts, or poisoned nerves, and
! who manifestly incapable. even
when viii powers are adequate. of per
/ forming the task now set for them.
! what a scandalous curse that cor
rupting alcohol isi And what crime
! these young mon commit irresponsi-
| bly,. unfortunately, against their coun-
,try and descendants and themselves.
| M their age. between twenty five
and thirty which ought to be the fow
ering time of the physical and moral
being, they are already Shattered, AL
most old rner. morally and physically
slaves OF their vices. socially useless
| II not dangerous Among the dangers
which now threaten France this one is
perhaps as redonhtabls as the cannon
and ha vonets of the Germans
obviously. no such remarks gould
be made by any rational writer, and
cer1alnly NO FHsnehnan. would tpscrthe
NJ Xxx VI w ~ & ~ t.rsssS7 = ss'eSss
not something more than an inconSe-
! qeutntial few
W. have helped France deliver her
self from Germans II now We can
helm her best elements dnl'ver the ma
ton from this internal enemy bv help
ing her te develop other industries
than wine making. hv discoura -ing the
! business of using her fair sunshine and
, fertile soil for tire production Of alco-
lhclic liouerS NJ any kind and thercbv
l'heratinr her from the throttling hold
Of her wine industry. we shall be doing
iher as noble service rs IN helping
her resist the German destroyer.
|