Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-03-18
WHAT WILL TAKE
PLACE Of SALOON
1876 Saloons Here, Visited by
Hundreds, Who Must Find
New "POorman'S Club"

At midnight, Monday. June 80,
1919, the proprietors of 1875 places i'll
this city where liquor is sold will put
out the lights and lock the doors of
their establishments, unless President
Wilson recalls his proclamation or
order issued several months ago call
ing for the closing of all drinking
places and the discontinuance of the
sale of liquor during the time the vast
I number Of Americans troops are be-
ing mustered out of service.
! Even with this order of the Presi-
dents r~escinded, the liquor dealers
can only hope for a few more months
Of business, for the amendment to
the constitution making the United
States dry zoe into effect during
January, 1920, and all the presidents
in the world can't keep the country
from going dry at that time, IL the
United States Supreme Court decides
! that the amendment is legal, and
from all appearances, at this time,
| there seems to be little doubt but
what the amendment will be upheld
by that body.
The first question which arises with
the thought of the closing of the sa-
looms, cafes. liquor stores and such
like is, What will become of the men
who frequent these place5?" They are
not merely drinking places. They are
the social centres for a certain class
of people. True the saloon, and bal
room of today is not visited by the
general public as it was a few years
| ago, and thti is chiefly due to the
movies which have taken the sa-
! looms places in the lives of many
people.
Yet it has been ascertained that
there are from 1000 to- 5000 men in
| this city who visit the saloons night
" as a hang out place. jobs Collier
nr0gtIa,,t nF fhn National GNOm nnTnifV
Centre Association, speaking in New
York City said: The saloons which
| are closing their doors. are the leisure
| resorts of a million men. They are
not merely drinking places. They arc
the social centers, loafing places,
places where things are talked over
| under conditions of freedom, where
the heavy weight of life is for a brief
time lifted from the shoulders OF
working men. Where are these mill
lion men going and h will take
| the place of the saloon? Will blind
| tigers replace the saloon-secret
| places. uncontrolled by law. where
men will creep to drink beverages
more poisonous thar whiskey? Will
| the solitary use of drugs take the
| place of the saloon? Will ervou
diseases and suicides and violent
crimes increase in number through
| the sudden taking away from a mill
lion men of their customary mode OF
recreation"
All these things stare the country in
the face and must be met with the
coming of the new era of prohibition.
A suitable substitute for the saloon
must be found. These people who are
turned out of saloon are just human
beings with human wants. who in the
words of Mr.. Collier, need to LOAF
J together, to sing and dance together
- r--a -. -; ,,-n I y a fhFnflRh
taking part in joyous group acuvl-
ties" But before a substitute can be
| created for the saloon we must first
| find out what is worth while in the
saloon.
In searching for these things it is
found worth while for men to have
a place for social gathering. where
an atmosphere of freedom prevails, !
a place where good-fellowship and an
optimistic frame of min are the
things expected of them. Will the Y.
NJ. C.. A, the Y. NJ. H.. A, the
Movies" the various organizations OF
the churches supply this want, If so
they must not be run as a reform So
ciety for these men, but a place where
they can gather n enjoy their lives
according to the dictates OF their
hearts.
Perth Amboy is the home of many
different n~ationalities and these men
must be looked after n a place pro-
Iyided for them with the coming OF
prohibition. Many will find for the !
first time that they can stay at HON
and enjoy themselves with their fam
lilies, but others will crave for the
bright lights, the good-fellowship
spirit which man think is found over
a glass of beer or wine, n Will steer
clear of the various organizations and
shows, and for these men the substi-
tute must be found. 1t has been
pointed out that the community GEN.
tire is a substitute for the saloon and
drinking place IL properly directed.
and the great growth of this move
lment in France and Belgium even De-
| fore the war started is held up as a
model which this country might fol-
low.