Omaha daily bee., 1921-09-04
!
To Get Drunk if
Nation Goes Dry
St. John Ervine, After IL
Weeks in u. S., Says Better
Be Drunkenly Free Than
Slavishly Sober"

| London, Sept. SIT prohibition
carries in Great Britain ] shall be
obliged 10 commit an outrage on
my nature and get uproarlously'
drunk as = matter OF most sacred
principle" 49,,
81. John Ervine. noted British
novelist and playwright and almost
a tee,otaler, makes this announce
ment in a statement IN which he
voices the fears OF many English-
men that this fall will witness the
launching OF a new dry campaign
in the British Isles.
IF that dreadful day ever comes
continues Ervine, u shall wer
red ribbon in my coat as a sign that
I have pledged myself in touch,
taste and drink until the government
rescinds the obnoxious law. Then !
shall return to the delights OF So
briefly"
Ervine spent II weeks in the
United States after prohibition went
into effect. and he makes that ex-
perience the basis OF his statement.
be Drunkenly Free.
Most OF US feel that Il Is better
TO be drunkenly free than slavishly
sober" he adds. 1--WE are Inclined
to think that there may be occasions
for example, at this moment IN
the United States Of America-when
man is in honor bound to get
drunk in order to show that he has
spirit and is not entirely the crea-
ture OF officials.
"The trouble with prohibitionists
IS their initial assumption that any
one who is not a supporter OF their
doctrine is either a drunka:d him
self or engaged in making drunk
ards Of others.
"If you venture, in the presence
Of q prohibitionist, to doubt the wis
dom OF compelling people to ABB
stain from strong drink he imme-
diately accuses you Of possessing q
large number of shares in . distil-
lery or of being a dipsomaniac, with
habit of drinking in secret places
and concealing quantities Of bottles
under your bed. 49,.
"The prohibitionist believes that
prevention is better than cure. IT
that were true we should expect to
| find the convict emerging from
prison in a more highly-virtuous
state OF mind than the unfortunate
person who never had the experience
Of being jailed. In actual practice
the best criminals, those who are
most amenable to prison authority,
are precisely the most confirmed
criminals, the men most determined
to continue career OF crime.
Why He Left America.
During the II weeks that I was
| in prohibition America I drank
more Intoxicating liquor than / had
consumed in England during the
preceding two years. left America
chiefly because / feared that if
stayed there any longer ! should be-
come drunkard. Wherever went
I found that people had an intensive
interest in drink, and persons. who,
prior to prohibition, were either ab-
stainers or moderate drinkers, found
themselves in some mystical manner
obliged to make a lavish display Of
the contents Of their cellars. The
most eligible girl in any town in
America today is the girl who can
brew the best beer. It will be long
time, I fear, before that race, inno-
cent of all knowledge of drink, ap-
pears in America. +
II think, as a practical teetotal
person, l am entitled to ask for pro-
lection against the prohibitionists.
do not wish to become drunkard, but
I feel certain that prohibition will
make one of me-"