The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-12-23
Frederick Haskin's Letter
oorezponaDes 81 Ne Argus.
Prohibition in Other Countries.

New 4OTk city, Dec. ZS-Tnt
difficulty in enforcing prohibition
as illustrated by the efforts of dr.
agents in this country, has no
proved as discouraging to the res
of the world as might be expected
The world prohibition movement
has suffered no serious setback
| On the contrary, it appears to bs
4 pEospering merrily. Most South
American countries are resignins
themselves to the prospect of an
approaching drought, the orient is
listening attentively, if nscrutably
to dry propaganda, and France is
waging discreet but effective fight
against hard liquors.
There is to be nothing sudden
about prohibition in France. No at
tempt is being made to curtail the
consumption of light wines and
beer, the national table beverages.
but the campaign is directed en-
tfrely against the powerful hard
| nQuors-eau de vie, cognacs, and
| brandieS. Even these, however.
are to be eliminated quietly and
! gently, not abruptly before the
population is wholly prepared for
the catastrophe.
| "1f l may be permitted to say SO,
the prohibition system in America
is stupid" declared Jean Ffnot,
noted French author and leader of
the anti-a1cohol forces in France,
to an American newspaperman not
long ago. You can't wash all the
| spots OF the leopard in a single
bath. After generations of alco-
hol you cannot change nature so
| abruptly as American prohibition
lists have tried to do. It is not DOS
| sible from the psychological point
OF view. There is momentary tri-
umph, but what about the reac-
tion?''
In France, according to M F1not,
the prohibition pageant is being
staged much more skillfully. In
the first place, it begins in the
schoolroom where the French
children are supplied with a small
booklet faithfully setting forth the
horrible consequences of imbibing
strong drink On the cover is the
cartoon of a German soldier Ieer-
ing from behind a bottle of deadly
liquor, against a background of
skulls and croSsbones, and beneath
it is the caption: That which we
were unable to do alcohol will do
lone may count in France the
number of deaths from tuberculosis
occasioned by alcohol at 100000
year." says the booklet. in this
figure are found at least $4,000
fathers of families Counting two
infants in each home, there are
thus 100000 orphans in France who
each year pay their sad tribute to
the miseries and sufferings of King
Alcohol, SO implacable in his cru
city.
Even children know that hun
dreds of thousands of people die
annually from alcoholic drinking. |
Laborers work much less efficient |
ly and produce less under its infiu-
ence. The bad poison also works
for all sorts Of crimes 1t pro-
without a name Parents who
drink do not cease to quarrel
among themselves, and even fire.
quentIy strike their children with
out reason. In the place of re-
ceiving a morsel of bread or meat,
one receives blows and kicks and
bad words"
Thus, down with our great
enemy, alcohol" the booklet con
cludes. Combat him with energy
and heroism in order to prove that
you are good citizens of France"
Hard Liquor Taxed.
While placing great stress on
this educational phase of the
campaign, France does not hest
tate to use more forceful measures.
ma quiet and discreet way, in
fact, the French chamber and SEN
ate are gradually taxing strong
liquors out of existence. At the
same time, taxes on light wines and
beer have been steadily lowered.
In South American countries,
8here the prohibition campaigns
Ire largely under the direction OF
'ur own erstwhiIe prohibition gen
erals, less subtlety and more force
Ire in evidence. In Chile, for in
stance, the president has sent an
announcement to grape growers
hat they must plan for some other
Use for their grapes than the man
Ifacture of alcoholic wine. Uru-
,uary we are told, is serving grape
uice and similar beverages in /,
tead of wine and champagne at
IS official banquets, while the ,
government now regularly sets