The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1919-05-24
MERIcANs have come


"N
"A for use Of tho word propaganda IN con
nection with anything American. II vii
take long 10 separate the word from its wartime
connection. There Is no other word, however
nat will as accurately describe the befafed effort
OF the nti.prohibifionists, chiefiy 81 the City Of
New York, 10 rcconvert this ~cenntry, and 70 con
vince II that when IL declared for prohibition i
know what Il was doing. A vast amount
Of violently unsclcniihe science" l. being let loose
upon the country In connection with the anti pro.
hibition propaganda. We find this editorial state.
ment, for instance, In the extremely respectable
and ordinarily sensible New York Globei
Il was a mistake to put 40 much stress
on the moral side Of prohibition and so
little on the scientific. From the moral
point Of view prohibition rigidly enforced
eliminates one popular sin, but from the
scientific II CLOSES one avenue OF self ex-
preston without opening another. The re-
suit, as a number Of highly respected ply
siciens and psychologists egree, viii not
be wholly good. AZ he discussion ON al
coholism NJ the Academy Of Medicine
Thursday evening none Of the eminent
specialists who spoke looked upon prohibit
ion as anything but a mixed blessing. The
gist Of their arguments was that the true
disease was not alcoholism, but the con
dition which led 10 alcoholism. II alcohol
were shut off the patient might eat too
much or let of steam IN some more harm
fIl way.
Professor Patrick Of the University Of
Iowa. who has written u volume on THE
Psychology Of Relaxation. - goes into the
same subject nj considerable length. lie
points out that civilized man has TO sup
press many impulses which are natural 10
him, or, in other words, that civilization
IL an unusual environment. Now, a sup
pressed impulse does not disappear. hut re.
appears in some other form aud NJ some
other point. For multitudcs Il reappcars
in the form Of a tendency to get rid Of the
inhibitions Of civilized life by becoming
more or less intoxicated. A. intoxication
progresses the higher centres Of the brain.
with the most recently acquired traits and
impulses, are paralyzed the artificial man,
No to speak, is stripped off, layer after
layer, and the natural man is free. When
he regains sobriety in goes the cork. aud
he begins TO accumulate inhibited inn
pulses for another period Of cffervescence.
Alcohol, however. is not the only means
of escape. Professor Patrick suggests hsh.
ing. camping out, aud football ~ substi.
tutcs. Each OF these diversions briags out
the natural man and looscns some Of the
unwholesome restraints Of ordinary life.
Dancing has been suggested as another sub
siiiute for intoxication. The important
thing, II seems, Is 10 recognize that alec.
holic drinks perform a certain service.
however badly and with whatever cost Of
overhead and loss in operation. aud that
II alcohol is TO be- successfully abolished
Il must be replaced by something which
does the same thing better. The whole dis.
cussion must be widened II II IL Ia be fruit.
ful. How can civilization De relieved of
It's curse of morbidity aud ahnormaliiyf
Until this question IL satisfactorily ans.
wered prohibition can be- only a doubtful
and limping success.
Here is the interesting scientific deduction thn