Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-12-13
LATE Young. Jr.. Tells
How England Put
Brakes on Booze
IBy Lafayette YounS. Jr.]

BY Lafayette YounG. Jf.J
How did England and France handle
the liquor problem, both with relation
TO soldiers and civilians?
When war broke out, houor could De
bought in England during seventeen 10
eighteen hours out Of each twenty
four. After the war had been running
brief time this was reduced to hSe
and half hours per day. the saloons
being of two and a half hours. from
noon go p. m. and three hours,
from S: so 2. m. TO 80 y. m. NO
one was allowed to treat his fellows
no one could buy drink on credit
The manufacture OF beer and whisky
was curtailed, and the proof or
strength Of whisky was reduced 70 per
cent and sometimes so per cent These
equations applied to the clubs and
hotels. as well as to the ordinary inns
or saloons.
When the war first broke out there
was tremendous and excessive drink
ing. and this particularly pertains to
the area surrounding the construction
and operation OF munition plants.
Central Control Bureau.
The question Of liquor control was
placed in the hands OF a central con.
troll bureau. created by parliament. and
the success OF the plan as outlined
above was so great that convictions
for drunkenness were reduced one
third; and the scenes of excess entire
" disappeared. And the reduction IN
drinking was the same with females as
with males.
France operated somewhat similarly
10 England. and the sale OF alcoholic
spirits was exceedingly reduced. In
fact. in both England and France the
price of a bottle OF whisky went nor
mally to about three times the pre- war
sale price. A colonel in the United
States army told me that he personally
paid as high as $50 for a bottle OF
Scotch whisky in France. It was very
frequently stated by civilians and SOL
diers that they had paid as hish as -
and SO for Scotch whisky which
previous to the war sold anywhere
from $3.50 to 81 per quart.
Will Not Return.
There is very wide presumption
that England and France will not so
back to the pre-war status with re-
spect to the use and sale OF liquor. 1t
is recognized now more as a destruc-
tive force than ever before in both OF
l these countries.
Wines are not in such bad repute,
but whiskys and spirits they recognize
as positively inimical to efficiency and
health.
Lloyd George is very pronounced
foe OF LIQUOR, and II he could have had
his way England would have had alb
solute prohibition.
In just the same way the amount OF
alcohol was reduced in a quart OF
whisky. so the alcoholic contents Of the
beer was similarly reduced and beer in
France AMI England became almost
non alcoholic.
The war has brought many benefits
TO all OF the warning countries and II
has gone a long way in bringing the
| world to its senses on the question OF
the temperate and Incorporate use OF
| liquor.
As to the Soldiers.
Many people ask me as to the use
| OF liquor by soldiers. was not in Eu-
rope long enough. nor did ! have SUI
! ,ficient powers Of observation to make
any worth while generalizations.
I was in Europe at the time the
Germans cracked, and the war closed.
and there was much more liberal
feeling as to the use Of liquor on the
part Of the soldiers In all the allied
armies. Many people felt that the
boys who were daily offering their
| lives for their country should be al
lowed cOnsider a BILE 1fberality when on
leave. But those who talked to me told
! me that there was very slight misuse
| of liquor and that the American and
all Of the other armies conducted them :
| selves in very manly and decent way
and realized that clean living was
| necessary for successful soldering.