The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1923-07-13
ACCIDENTS CAUSED
BY WINE AND BEER
SAYS CHICAGO JUDGE
Opinion Based on Records in
Speeders' Court
ARE DRUNK ON BEER
in HALF OF CASES

The Official Records Show Alcoholic
Death Decline
DELIRIUM TREMENS DISAPPEAR
In response to a letter of inquiry
sent to him by the American Issue
Judge Gemmill has given remarkable
statement on the relation of beer and
wine to automobile accidents. Judge
Gemmill's opinions and observations
based on official records are of vital
importance in view of the desperate
drive by the wets to restore the beer
and wine traffic.
WITH THE. INCREASING CON
GESTION OF AUTOMOBILE
TRAFFIC WHAT WILL HAPPEN
If THE LIQUOR INTERESTS
SUCCEED IN CALLING G.
BEER AND WINE? The answer is
easy to read in the following letter
by an unquestioned authority on the
automobile traffic problem:
The Municipal Court of Chicago
William N. Gcmmill, Judge
In Chambers
June Is, 1923.
Mr.. 0. G.. Christgau,
Editor, American Issue
Dear Sir:
Your letter received. do not know
that | can add much to what | have
written on this subject The New
York Times after requesting my
article wrote me that their limited
space made it necessary to cut the
article somewhat.
The items they cut out have not yet
been published They deal with the
claim that prohibition has brought
many more deaths from drinking
moonshine whisky than formerly.
The figures from New York state,
just gathered by me show that accord :
ing to the report OF the state health
board 1,00S persons died from alcohol
ism in the state in 1917, while only
242 died from the same cause i'll 1922
That while in 1917 only two were re-
ported to have died from wood alco-
hol, in 1922 fourteen were reported to
have died from the same cause. While
there is an increase in the deaths from
wood alcohol of II, there is a decrease
in all alcoholic deaths of 754. I find
this same ratio i'll Philadelphia
Boston and Chicago. This however,
is but small part OF the saving of
human life.
Our county hospital shows that in
$3.50 cases of lobar pneumonia only
% per cent OF the total abstainers
died. while 80 per cent of the ordinary
drinkers and 40 per cent of excessive
drinkers died. 1t is also true that in
pneumonia cases involving heavy
drinkers many formerly had delrium
tremens, while there has only been one
case of delirium tremens from such
cases in Our county hospital in the
last two years.
! have been presiding in the speed
crs' court for some time and I find
that nearly all the serious accidents
are caused by men driving while in
toxicated, and upon questioning these
men | find over one half of them swear
that they got drunk on beer.
find man who drinks two glasses
of wine is much more dangerous to
the community than one who drinks
six or eight glasses. The man with
two glasses can't see straight. His
mental faculties are abnormal. He
drives a car all over the street and
generally runs into lamp post or into
another car. While the man with six
drinks is helpless and can't drive at
all. No man with two drinks of wine
in him is safe at the wheel of an auto
mobile.
Light wine has in it at least IA per
cent of alcohol II would be lie
written upon the statute books of any
state if it should pass law declaring
that light wine is not Intoxicating.
The Constitution Says Intoxicating
liquor shall not be manufactured or
sold" The lightest wine is danger
ously Intoxicating and no law can
make it otherwise.
Yours very truly,
William N Gemrnill.
WING NIX