East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1919-09-10

VIII be no prohibition in England.
Why /?
Because through common sense scien
tific regulation OF the liquor traffic evils
OF drunkenness. extravaganza and disease
have been all but eliminated in highly
successful trial period Of five years, but
without depriving the sensible ninety five
per cent OF the population Of personal lib
crty.
You ask, What has this regulation OF
the liquor traffic accomplished in Eng
land?
Briefly this;-For the last five years. as
a result of these restrictions. drunkenness,
Deaths from alcoholism and the diseases
caused by drinking to excess. as well as
all other evils attending the unrestrained
traffic. have been enormously and aston
ishingly reduced. Charts upon the sub
ject. prepared by government depart
ments. reveal the undesirable and unfortu-
nate phases and results of drinking rep
resented in directional lines, trailing away
precipitately toward zero. As rough
average-the exact figures l will present
later-the evils present in wide open"
England before the war have been reduced
seventy-five per cent which even the most
hopeful reformers must admit is tremen-
dous
What, you ask is the modus operandi of
this great curative campaign?
1t is the most obvious. plain plan in the
world. but. Ike many other great and eff
fective ideas of today. it required world
war with its necessities and dire exigen-
antedates 1914, but the pressure of war
forced its acceptance When contrasted
with the ends this scheme attains the
means seem almost ridiculously simple. 1
want TO tell you about it.
While America is pondering just what
- DO about the liquor problem. and. more
specifically, what to do about prohibition.
It might be well to turn to England at
least for reference and perhaps for advice,
for a finer example of how to handle eff
ciently this vital question in a fashion sat
isfying virtually every faction could not
be found.
Upon me as an American not long in
England the surface Indications of the
success of government direction of the
sale of liquor and official regulation of the
saloon early made a profound impression.
Day or night an intoxicated person in
he streets of London is very rare. despite
the great number of idle. undemobilized
soldiers and the great temptation of SOL
Hers and civilians alike to celebrate peace.
Even before making the casual inquiry
rs to the why's and wherefores of war
and postwar restriction / observed the
pubs" to be closed morning and after
aoon-working hours-and late in the
evening, when all men, working or other
wise. should be abed. 1t did not take long
10 ascertain that through the wisdom of
guiding governmental hand the sale of all
liquor was restricted to the two principal
eating hours. luncheon and dinner. 1t
seemed to me to be happy coincidence
-udL Ont ulSul PuiGhdSc Z" lat tHC
government permits one to purchase only
1t meal time.
But il is far more than a coincidence. II is
he whole secret. Drinking only at meal
lime is the entire backbone and structure Of
snsisnds mastery method. By permitting
he sale of liquor only from noon until three
,'eloek in the afternoon and from six to
l. L. L. C~-tr.I
rol Board for the Liquor Traffic has done
wo basic things:-
First. 1t has placed within these short
eriods a necessarily limited amount of
Iquor before those who want it and enjoy
/, and perhaps need it, but who above all
now what to do with liquor and what
ot to do with it
Second. it has removed, by the three and
en- O'Clock bans, the opportunity to drink
D excess from those who think they want
,ore but do not need it, and who above
il do not know what to do with liquor and
o know what not to do with it-but don't
o it!
Following study Of the existing regu-
atoms and the statistics for the last few
ears l appealed to Lord D'Abernon, the
irecting genius of this plain but enlight-
ned policy, for an expression of opinion
s to the merits Of prohibition versus regu-
ation, also his views on the everywhere
pparent success OF the present English
cheme and the prospects for further and
uture improvement.
Lord D'Abernon is chairman of the Cen
raj Control Board for the Liquor Traffic,
nosifiou which he has filled to the yir-