Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1920-10-14
ENGLISH 'DRUNKS'
DOUBLE IN 1919
Statistics list Announced Reveal
Startling Reaction From
Dry Wave.
BEGAN BEFORE WARS END
Women Keep Step With Men In Re-
turn to Old Era Of Drinking Days
Number Of Registered Clubs
Increased Some 900.

London.-The licensing statistics for
1919 show that during that year there
occurred strong reaction from the
notable decrease In convictions for
drunkenness which began In the lat
ter months of the year 1914 and per-
sisted through the years 1918. 1915.
1917 and 1918. The total number OF
convictions for drunkenness In Eng
land and Wales In 1919 was nearly
double the figure for 1918. viz. 57.9iS
as compared with 90.I-an Increase
OF 2S.ST3 or m.3 per cent.
The reaction II is pointed out he
gan in the middle nf The year 1918
and was M first genie and hesiiating;
n gathered force curly I'm the year
1919 and from March onward the fig
urps for every month. with the en-
cep,ion of October. exceeded those for
the preceding month by percentages
which were never less than five and
rose to "a as between December and
November. and 4S "a between March
and February As compared with the
corresponding months Of 1918, the fig
ures for every month In 1919 from
March onward showed increases vary
ing from 3 to 31S per cent. In Sep
tenher. 1919. the convictions were
nearly three times. in November more
than three times. and In December
more than four times as many as in
the same months In the year 1913. On
the other hand. December Is the only
month in 1919 which shows figures
exceeding One-hnlf of those for the
corresponding month Of 1913. the year
I'm which tie convictions reached the
maximum recorded nSS,S77) !; and the
other months range in relation to
1919. from less than one-half to less
than one-ffth.
Some Of the Reasons.
In some general comments on the
statistics of drunkenness the report
states:
There is In these records of convic-
tions for drunkenness and the move
meIis shown therein a great wealth of
material for research into the problem
Of public drunkenness and its causes.
consequences and cure. But the en-
terprise rs long and difficult. and, to
he successful. ought to march with
practical administration and expert
ment. More or less superficial manip-
uln.ion of the figures and facts on
paper has all the dangers and sterility
OF mere speculation. Out of the many
and various cOntributory circum-
stances ii is almost impossible and
extremely unsafe to, isolate this one
or that one, or this or that group, and
call 1t the cause Of the particular
movement which may be under con-
sideration. Some of the circumstances
or causes-which operated at different
times, In different ways, and In differ
emf degrees In different districts-may
be stated as follows: There were more
men at home. and fewer Of them In
khaki, more policemen land those less
overworked) available for street duty.
more hours for drinking. more land
stronger) liquor. more light In the
streets. more money. more leisure, less
self-control less appreciation of the
fact that drunkenness matters" now
the war is over. less readiness to
realize that the progress toward gen
eral sobriety won during the war ought
TO he carried on In peace time. and
lack Of adequate equipment for driv-
ing that point home.
OF the 57.94S convictions In 1919.
1882. or 90 per cent, occurred In po-
lice districts wholly within the opera
ton of the Central Control Boards re-
sirictions, 3,704 in districts partly with
In. and 1923. or just over one per cent
In districts entirely beyond their
scope. II will be seen that the table
given above Is dominated by Greater
London end Northern England. l. e..
the cG.nties north Of line drawn
from tie mouth of the Severn to the
Waea. Together, Greater London and
Northern England with a population
of af ont a per cent of the total for
England and Wales) account for 3d.
900, or 81 per cent of the total con-
victlons. Greater London showing
about 20 per cent of population and 80
per ceLt Of convictions and Northern
England r; rar cent of population and
81 per cent of convictions for 1919
were 1910 per cent In excess of those
for 1915 aud Northern England
showed NJ Increase of SO per cent;
but the December figure for Northern
England was just over FIVE times as
great as IN 1918. while the Greater
London December figure was less than
four times rs great.
Tables arc given showing the con-
victions OF len and women separately
for ea,.h month of 1919. OF the total
number 81 per cent. or 46.765 convic-
tons related to men. and 11,1S3 or 10
per cent to women. In relation to the
estimated number of persons OF II
years of age and upward IN 1919, the
figures represent for men 80 per TO-
600, aud for. women nine per 10000.
TIE figures for men are more than
twice ,ns numerous as those recorded
in 1913. viz. 81 1853. and exceed the
total for 1917. viz, 34,l03: those for
won;t.n exceed the 1918 total of 7.222
by So per cent, but do not reach the
1917 total of 12.307. In both cases The
increase was continuous, with slight