Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-11-21
LADY AsTOR PLEADS
FOR A s0BERER BRITAIN
Fair Virginian Discusses Problem
OF Temperance From Woman's
Standpoint.
ny rIsCOUNTEss AsToR, NJ. i.

Of Temperance From Woman's
Standpoint.
Dr vIsCOUNTEss ASTON, NJ. u.
There are many why's OF looking
at the subject of Temperance" Tho
trade Is apt 10 represent tho temper
ance propaganda as narrow
minded kiil-joy. thirsting to remove
/ pleasure and jollity from tho world
ana TO deprive tho workingman OF
his freedom. The music hall presents
! he dyunkard AS Il purely comic per-
s"h and the temperance advocate ms
! seedy individual with a lugubrious
race. red nose and Il sanctimoniouS
| manner.
/ fashioned person who believes that II
rs beer which has made England
great. and that whit was good
enough for MS fathers is good enough
Iof MIN. There is the more inteili-
gent citizen who is uneasily aware
| that drink Is responsible for n great
deal of misery and who Is beginning
to face facts. And finally there In
tho fairly large body of convinced
temperance reformers. divided into n
good many camps. not always think
ing quite chlritably OF each others
programs.
Ono. point OF view has been left
out OF this list, which. Is OF consld-
crablc interest TO politicians just
OF view. ] do not fear tho DOGGY OF
sex antasonism in politics. But
there arc certain moral and social
questions on which the bulk of
women voters Will unite. and OF these
inc drink problem la one OF tho most
important.
believe that mcst women arc
either already in favor OF a temper
class OF citizens who are now wax
ing un TO the urgent need of tenn
rerance legislation. Women have
good cause for their interest in the
drink problem. because II lis In the
home. above all. that the drunken
husband or father ceases TO he comic
ana provides the tragic element;
Woncn's ConKrcHn Appinudeh.
~ the Geneva Congress OF Women
.ir June | was impressed by the storm
Oh cheering which broke out from the
Nerone. the French advocate. in one
OF the fines, bits OF vehement cio-
qucncc | have ever heard. spoke of
women.s attitude to drink. The very
AFRAID OF the womcn's vote is sig
niticant. The fear OF an Increased
temperance vote was one OF the rca-
sons brought against tho extension
OF the franchise to women under 80
do not think that there can hc
many people who deny that drink
problem exists Every social worker
Knows IL, every doctor knows II. every
political party knows II. the govern
incnt knows II. The war Perhaps did
more than anything else To bring the
facts home TO those who did not know
them before. II became almost re-
spectacle and even patriotic 10 take
the subject seriously. The Primo
Minister himself asserted that drink
VAS a greater menace To tho nation
than tho German submarine. The War
once and the Admiralty were driven
10 press for restrictions, because drink
VAS Interfering with efficiency. and
ne recovery Of men in hospital. Peo-
OF the state and OF the trade were
directly opposed TO each other, since
the state found II necessary to re-
strict the sale or drink and the trade,
being n trade. found It equally neces-
sary TO press the sale OF It's wares.
During tho war. as result OF the
restrictions, output and efficiency
women for drunkenness were reduced
on"-i!th. the deaths o. babies from
everything were halved, the number
OF deaths from disease connected with
heavy drinking was very much low
cred.
Losing War Gains.
Since these 'veSat!ous restrictions"
nave been relaxed, We have been
convictions of women for drunken
ness have been greatly increased: in
Glasgow alone the figures have null
tipiied by four In the course OF this
country
The drink problem, however, is not
merely question OF dealing with the
man or woman who is convicted or
drunkenness. II Is the problem OF
the man or woman who has begun TO
drink too much--of the woman whc is
BEGINNING !" neglect her home. or
me man wao IL beginning t. spend
ms earnings Tor the public house IL
rs. IN fact. question OF self-indui-
Sencc. No Oh" thinks that the war
ao"Ia nav been won BY self-in.
'orr. that amy orc should think thu,
the siiil mole difficult task Of recon.
S,Fucion can be undertaken withou,
the same selI-vontroi and sacrinc.
OF personal comforts.
S!Aiy thousand babies die every
year IN This country before they are
= year Old. Out Of every 10000 chill
5000 are now alive. 4 good deal OF
TINS waste is duo to unhealthfulness
ana neglect caused by drink. Yet
sanua IS working 10 abolish nil war
regulations which helped TO reduce
infant mortality and disease. and In
SO doing Ii is working directly against
thr interests of the nation.
,,n, me there Is growing body. Of
public opinion. which realizes that
we must have drastic reform. If we
War level. the opposition to temper
amcc Legislation IL hardening. too.
rms Is naturally due 10 the power
luIlS organized financial interests
concerned In the drink trade The
trade has To think OF its profits. and
so u Is organizing itself against
tnc forward movement OF social re-
formers, and is trying 10 Justify Itself
10 suspicious public. The big H.
nahcial interests nrc reinforced to
soinc extent by many small share
hoiders and by a certain number OF
people who are particularly tenacious
OF what they call their freedom.
HISTORIC RHINOCEROS HORN
GIVEN AMERICAN MIIcEIIhA