Evening journal., 1919-08-01
i2 i-2 OF O. ONE ONE DRAWS DRAWS
THE CROWD, TOO.
"Near Beer Saloons Seem
More Popular Than the
"Real" Ones
CUSTOMERS LIKE
"KICKLESS" DRINK

The few near-besr saloons Of the
present in Wilmington are more popu-
lar than ever were the pre-prohibition
grogshops.
Perhaps II ia due 10 the diminishing
number OF saloons. perhaps 70 a re-
crulfine beer drinkers from the ranks
OF those who failed 20 patronize whis-
Lev shops, perhaps 20 the knowledge
that soon beer may be only a SAD
memory, or perhaps--
But. whatever the subtle physchologi-
cal reason for The abnormal beer ap-
petite may be, IL IL a fact, and must be
reckoned with as such. Veteran sa-
loonkeepers and other men who know
roll their eyes IN surprise and explain
With wondering voices that never In
history has Wilmington consumed so
much alleged beer per capita.
OF course. the hot weather Is causing
g rush TO cool burning throats these
days, but other summers have ha1
other hot days and other rushes ana
other burning throats, but, verify
never such rush and such burning
throats as this prohibition summers.
Anyone trying a round Of the saloons
gradually will have IL dawn upon ms
refreshed intelligence that several FAC
tors combine TO make him wish TO en-
ter and partake And as he will pride
himself on the fact that he is normal
member OF the human race, win
thoughts and feeling running in the
same grooves as those OF other men,
he must needs conclude that the men
he will see croWding tw0-deep facing
the barkeep are actuated as himself
This brings US back to our opening,
"pcrhaps'-one which Is explained
easile because 10 merely is a matter OF
a brand OF mathematics easily mas
tered by us at school, TO figure that
q decrease in the number OF beer sa-
loons will cause an intensifying OF the
patronage. That settles that.
Moreover-as the coming school OF
philosophers on matters bibulous
would say-men whose families IN the
bre-July I period would have been
Shocked and scandalized at the very
mention OF the cafe, now are beginning
To regard beer as an ordinary temper
bnce drink. At the earnest solicita-
iion OF friends they have made their
initial trip through the swinging doors.
They have blown the foam from the
ie-kick-ized amber with trembling lips
and have emerged with delectable
little bitter tang in their throats and
n paeOn OF praise for the new-found
nectar on their lips.
For these men the whiskcy shop,
with its fringe OF human derelicts, us
frequent aspect OF disorder and crime,
its clientele Of youths who should have |
been at home in bed. was a place cal
culated 10 arouse real aversion. For
these same men the innOcuous saloon
of today is merely a place where a
glass Of pleasing and heallhful bever-
age may be consumed, followed, II de-
sired. by several more OF The same kind, !
with no apparent i'm effects.
There Is a real element Of economy, !
too. in the phenomenal saloon patron |
age. Whereas. at the ordinary soda |
fountain the usual charge for an ice /
cream soda Is II cents, fully as re- /
freshing drink may be had around the /
corner in The saloon for ., or at most /
10 cents.
The difference between flve-cent /
drink and a i7-cent drink is one Of real /
moment 20 The patcrfamilies wrestling /
with present housing and food con-
dions When that consideration is
combined with the olden virtues Of the /
saloon-iis pleasant atmosphere Of gen
iality. is freedom from women and
who infcst soda fountains.
and the quicknes- Of service compared
20. the latier-there seems only one
choice for the mind
And then. of course, there is that
great body of patrons included under
The third perhaps '-men who were
in ot the death Of old John Barlcycorn
and are now waiting about in the near
onng 10 wall aloud at his funeral on
ihs FIRST Of the year. 40 subtle re-
search IS needed 10 explain the pres
cncc of these men IN saloons. They are
avowcd friends and lovers of alcohol
in am iis varying forms. No matter
how sublimated IL may become, they
viii drink to the end Considerations
NJ economy have no weight with them.
They. love beer for beers sake. and
for ts sake hey are found where they I
are found