New-York tribune., 1919-07-15
Johnson Excites
Nation by Dry Crusade,
but No Definite Action l.
Expected at Present Time
Not Interested in L. S.
Kingdom Considers Prohibi-
tion in America Political
Play: Workers Want Beer
By Arthur S. Draper
Neto York Tribut1c
Eurcr.1x )s,.-,-


Copyright. 1919 New York Tribune Inc>
LONDON, July IA "Pussyfoot"
Johnson has obtained more newspaper
publicity in a week than a theatrical
star does in lifetime. The prohibi-
tion leaders face is wreathed in smiles
as he thinks of the success attending
the initial stages of his campaign to
make Great Britain dry.
In fact all publicity. even of the
most highly critical character does
not temper his pleasure in the least
He has succeeded in getting all Britain
excited over prohibition, and that
is more than some statesmen can do
even over the Irish question, though
it is difficult to regard the prohibition
campaign and British alarm seriously
at this stage.
Had the Johnson campaign opened
in the days when the government Of
fered substitute drinks of ginger pop,
when Scotch and Irish whiskey was
pale and impotent and when the price
of bottled burgundy rivalled ones in
come tax many recruits would have
been obtained out of mere desperation
But to-day brewers are running shy
by barrels, and whiskey now has .he
bite which Taft found lacking in the
first draft of the covenant. Vim rouge
is no longer limited to the purse prot
iteer.
Crusaders Grasp Chance
Fortunately Johnson is a missionary
with oodles of courage, and Englani's
population contains an amazing num-
ber of crusaders who are keen to
tackle any desperate cause.
Lord Dabernon. chairman of liquor
control. appointed during the war to
regulate drinking, thinks Johnsons
chances of success depend largely on
the attitude of the liquor traders rather
than from any fear of the British that
American prohibition will put the king
dom to commercial disadvantage. Prof
teering, he believes, is stronger cam
paigner than Johnson.
The government has continued its
policy Of permitting the sale of liquor
between II noon and 2:30 p. m. and
! 6 p. m. and 9:3G p. m, consequently
the amount of drunkenness is COM
para lively small. Lord Dabernon re-
calls the prohibition campaign in Scot
land which broke down because of so
little drunkenness there. Americas eN-
j.
For years there has been a consid
erable body of temperance advocates
in Great Britain. Every town has had
its temperance hotels. There are sew
; eral national temperance societies.
| There are scores of temperance lectur
! ers constantly on tour. Henderson,
the labor leader is a temperance ad
vocate. Lief Jones, former mem Der Of
Parliament, is one OF the directors Of
temperance society. Cadbarys &
Rowntrees, leading chocolate manufac-
turers, are large contributors to tenn
perance campaign fnuds.
Poor Beer Caused Protests
Major Waldorf Astor, who is m en-
Der of the liquor control board, said
| in the middle of the war, when grain
imports we're extremely low, that the
government feared the effects of a
shortage Of poor quality beer upon
the munition workers almost as much
as defeat on the battlefield. He em-
phasized the seriousness with which
workers regarded beer a. a food med
icine and how it was next to impossible
to- convince them that the ingredients,
used in other ways, would be more
beneficial.
British labor would resist prohi BIZ
tion with the same determination they
show in demanding increased wages.
Another factor enters. A new states
man puts it this way: "It is grave
step for the state to interfere with
the normal life of man, to abolish Gus
toms which have the sanction OF many
great, wise and good men, unless every
other means of achieving social happi-
ness has been tried and found want
ing. We are Socialists but not state
worshippers.
Against Drastic Action
We believe that for the state to
limit a citizens freedom is immoral
tyranny and the wrong way to better
civilization. We are told, indeed that
Americas 5 most potent arguments for
prohibition are not moral at all bu-
economical and political. Employers
want an increase of efficiency among
workers and social reformers wish
to get rid of liquor interests in politics
, ESPECIALLY as so many publcans are
Germans). 1t is good to make mer
efficient and il is good to cleanse pol
itics. But we should have thought tina
it could have been done without mar
rowing the bounds of human freedom
We doubt if it is justifable to do il
at the price of human freedom.'