The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1920-01-16


3lst checking up on the illegal sale of
liquor in hotels and cafes of Chicago
reported that there was no compare
son between the sale of liquor this
year and previous years.
In the past years New Years Eve
has always been a debauch, while this
year the crowds in the hotels, cafes,
and on the streets were probably
ninety per cent more orderly than in
past years"
Arthur Burrage Farwell, abue to
speak more authoritatively than any
other man in the country, was asked
to prepare statement for the Issue
comparing the recent New Year cele-
bration with that of former years. In
his article which appears below, Mr..
Farwell gives the facts relative to the
celebration of the coming of the New
Year in Chicago and also some very
interesting and important comments
on the future fight against liquor.
&C f RATION OF NEW
YEARS EVE IN CHICAGO: Up
to few years ago there was no night
in the year when conditions were as
bad as ON New Years Eve, when a
city, state, and the world should
be looking forward TO a new year
with resolutions TO make it better
than the old year, with regrets for
the mistakes and sins of the old year,
but the night was given over by thou
sands of men and women to drunk
enness and debauchery. Vice was
rampant and many young people, in
my Judgment, for the first time took
the downward road which, perhaps.
was the start OF the running of their
lives. In other words, New Years
I've to thousands OF people was the
occasion OF what was called fun. de-
scending into the very worst kind OF
debauchcry, instead OF starting the
new year as decent, law-abiding men
and women should.
1907: This year the Chicago Law
and Order League and the Hyde Park
Protective Association started a
movement to help correct this awful
condition, and from that time until
the last New Years have been on the
job every New Years Eve and we are
very glad to say that as far as Chi
cago is concerned, the last New Years
was the quietest and sanest that we
have known of since 1907. This CAM
paign shows what can be done when
conditions arc investigated and the
public are informed as to those con-
ditions which it is possible to inform
the public through the press. This
Improvement shows the wisdom of
earnest opposition to drunkenness. de
hatchery and vice by the people and
that 'ye shall know the truth and the
truth shall make You free helps not
only with the individual but with the
community, the state, the nation and
the world.
NEW YEARS, 1920: After an
experience of over fifty years. inter
ested in public matters in Chicago, |
am impressed that there is an over
ruling Providence attending the af-
talrs OF men and last New Years il
began to get very cold so that lack
frost, an agent of God Almighty,
helped to temper the bad conditions
IN the city of Chicago and there was
less drunkenness on the street than
any New Years Eve in the city of
Chicago probably for sixty years. 4
THE FUTURE: The danger to
the future, as | look at it, is this: that
where men and women will not give
UP the use OF Intoxicating liquor and
have 1t in their homes there is great
danger Tor the future for the young
man and the young woman because
there is no temptation so strong, to
influence any decent young man and
young woman as that in a home where
everything IS clean and pure, except
the use OF Intoxicating liquor. A de-
cent young man and young woman
does not go into a barrel house with
sawdust floor, with stencil that IS
almost unbearable, to take their FIRST
drink, and | think II is well f,x A.
decent people to remember that it is
an awful thing for a man or woman
to make wrecks of themselves, but if
is great deal worse when man or
woman helps to wreck some other
young man or young woman.
VALUE OF AGITATION AND
EDUCATION: One of the greatest
powers in this republic is public SEN
timent, and agitation and education
are essential in educating the publ;c