Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-03-24
GUM DROPS VERSUS RUM
DROPS, TOLD OF BY HASKIN
Daily Letter by Frederic j. Haskin

WASHINGTON, Mar. 23-Experts
in matters of diet have a theory that
the human animal must have a, cer-
tain amount of alcohol and that II
| he can not get it in one way he will
have it in another. Sugar is most
rich in alcohol of any food and it is
the observation of dietitians that the
man who drinks no liquor eats
sweets instead and that, contrariwise.
the heavy drinker of alcoholic liz
quors has no craving for candy. The
tremendous increase in the sale OF
candy in the year or two following
the enactment of the prohibition
amendment was pointed to as bear
ing out this theory strongly.
Now comes the Bureau Of the Cen
sus with figures which would indicate
more than what they appear to be
on their face-statistics of candy
consumption. If the candy-liquor
theory is correct prohibition is prov
ing ineffective and the craving for
alcohol is being satisfied by bever-
ages rather than by confectionery,
for the Census Bureau reports fall
ing off in the consumption of sweets.
There was census of nauufac-
lures of 1914. This showed that the
value Of the output of the confec-
tionery industry in that year was
100000,
The next census was taken as of
the year 1919. BY this time the tide
of prohibition was in full swing. Be-
tween 1914 and 1919 twenty-five
states were voted dry. In the year
1919 wartime prohibition was in ef-
feet, While national constitutional
prohibition did not become effective
until the following year, a good deal
more than half the country already
was dry and the wartime prohibition.
which was effective for full half Of
1919, was increasing the aridity.
So when the 1919 census was
taken it showed that some influence,
presumably prohibition, was vastly
increasing the consumption of candy.
The census showed a candy output
of $4,000, 900, an increase of near
ly zoo per cent. This showing tend
cd to prove the theory that consum-
ers of alcoholic beverages, deprived
of their accustomed source of stim-
ulant, had turned to candy, The next
census was for 1921, year after ma
tionai prohibition became effective.
The figures for this have Just been
contain what apparently is an index
TO the extent candy is being displaced
by Illicit alcoholic beverages.
Candy output in 1921 hag fallen to
SSl4,000,000, a decrease of 80 per
cent in two years and If there is any
thing in the theory of the inter-
changeability of liquor and candy as
catering to the cravings of humanity
for stimulant, these figures constitute
an index of how effective prohibition
was at the start and 10 what extent
Illicit manufacture and bootlegging
has increased.
Had More Money to Spend
This theory is of much interest
and quite likely is partially sound
but ardent prohibitionists would find
another explanation for the decline
in candy consumption. They doubt
less would explain that the year 1919
in which the last census Of candy
manufactures was taken a&year Of
unprecedently high wages and that
people who never had jobs before
were working and bringing in sur
plus funds to their families. Young
men and girls had good jobs. It
will be remembered that 1919 was a
year WQen there was nlucn nSWSpas-
per discussion OF the silk shirts be-
Ing worn by farmhands and laborers.
While the brakemen were buying
silk shirts with their high wages,
undoubtedly their wives and daugh-
ters we're buying candy.
In 1920 came the recession of
prices and the business depression.
People in all walks OF life were hard
up and rs candy is luxury, pUr-
cha ses were restricted.
Nevertheless, the sweet tooth of
America is growing, in and out of
business depressions, and, perhaps.
irrespective of prohibition, for even
with the falling off in candy output
in 1921 compared with 1919. the
1921 production compared with the
1914 production shows an increase
| of 104 per cent. In 1914 there were
| 1852 establishments engaged in the
| manufacture Of confectionery. in
1919 there were 2,439 and in 1921
| there were 2,254. Siyty-three thou
sand persons were engaged in maxi
| ing candy in factories in 1914, "a 000
! in 1919 and $4,000 in 1921. besides
all the young girls making fudge al
| home on the kitchen stove. The Cen
sus Bureau makes no record of the
latter. The candy the young siri
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