Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-05-23
SUBSTITUTE FOR THE SALOON

What is to take the place of the saloon9 That is a question that
has been asked a great many times since the prohibition amendment
has been adopted and few people are able to give an adequate
answer.
While there are those who still believe that there will never be
prohibition in this country and now that the President, in his mes
sagt; mas recommended that the provision for wartime prohipiuon De
abolished, they are more than ever confident that a dry United
States is still a long way off. But the fact remains that the con-
stitution now prohibits the manufacture and sale of alcoholic drinks
which provision goes into effect next January and unless something
very unusual happens there is no other outcome but TO- close the
saloons. -~-~
Now it is a fact that thousands of men resort to the saloon for
the want of a better place to congregate; meet their friends there
md pass a social evening. The light lunches served in many saloons
also are a decided feature. The expression that the saloon IS the
poor man. club is a common one What IS to take place when II Is
closedf
Right here is where the Salvation Army comes in. Read the
following, which is one of the latest bulletins sent out from Saliva
ton Army headquarters, showing what that organization is plan
ming to do when the saloon goes out of business:
"The Salvation Army has five options pending on
saloons in New York City according to an announcement
made yesterday at campaign headquarters of the organiza-
chasing agent for the Army, has been appointed officially
by Commander Booth to locate saloon properties and c
ganization which will be devoted to salvaging saloons of
the United States after July list.
cit was stated yesterday that there will be twenty-five
saloons in the possession of the Salvation Army in New
York by July LIST. This figure is conservative.
'The Salvation Army has five options now pending
which have been recommended as available by Brigadier
Welte. These saloons are in key positions in the city of
New York. The plan is to get saloons in locations which
are not obscure in order that they may hold together the
cliques of men who have come to regard the saloon as their
club;
1--WE do not want the saloons to close before we ac-
tualy get these options and get in touch with the men,
Commander Booth said yesterday. The very thing we
want to accomplish, a close touch with men who habituate
these saloons, we will lose if we do not acquire an option
on the property as soon as possible. w want to save the
men, not the property
"Brigadier Wete is out these days scouting for saloon
properties. He is the only Salvation Army officer not in
the present drive. Firmly believing that the man with DC
needs a clue where be can have a reading room, a telephone
and light lunches at reasonable prices the Salvation Army is
out to establish these new saloons in $50 cities in the coun-
try. This scouting for saloon properties is not confined to
New York City. An order has been given throughout the
organization and similar work is being carried on in every
M of the cities where there is a Salvation Army corps.
The organization in New York expects to have four or i've
saloons in its possession by the end of this week.
"The Salvation Army is not planning to plunge fnan-
cially on this question of acquiring saloon properties. There
will be no big initial investment. Each lease acquired will
be 80 adjusted that the property will be self sustaining.
The comradeship of the brass rail will be an accomplished
fact in New York by July End" :
Here, indeed, is real constructive work. Would that the Sal
walton Army were able to put this plan into operation not only In
$50 cite. in the country, but in every city, town and village in or
der to fill up the gap that will be left when the demoralzng
saloon ceases to exist.
Perth Amboy has got to face this problem of furnishing a sub
situte for the saloon. Probably the Salvation Army will lead the
way. There is no doubt about the value Of such work to the city
Perth Amboy would more than ever have occasion to feel grateful
to this wonderful organization