The Connecticut labor news., 1924-11-15
HOW CANADA
 HAS SOLVED THE
 DRINK PROBLEM
By DIR. FRANK BONN

The Canadian solution of the drink problem may be seen at its best in Bri- tish Columbia and Quebec. Saskatche- wan adopted it by referendum vote in July last. It is more than likely that all the Provinces of Canada will soon come to 1t in one form or another. To an American who travels widely in both the United States and Canada the re- suits are so evident that they can leave no room for doubt in the mind.
 The Canadian system, where seen al its best, functions entirely through chain of government warehouses and salesrooms Where majority in the community desires shop, one is estab- .lished. Local option means that the To- cal community majority can not be over ridden. There are no local private in terests seeking to open highly profit able business. The result is striking.
 Only the larger cities and towns in British Columbia have requested the es- tablishment of public liquor stores. A large city like Montreal, in Quebec, has several. Of the two Provinces men toned above, British Columbia has worked out its system with the greatest care and success in operation Saskatch- evan, which will institute government sale on January 1 next, will probably follow the British Columbia precedent through tout Quebec, whose system is as vet bit lax and untrimmed, might we'll study the perfection of the British Col urnbia method. I shall describe the lat ter as the best which has been worked out, and then draw a comparison with Alberta, its neighbor Province. For AL berta has made the great mistake of combining government distribution with private sales for profit
 One enters the government liquor store in a British Columbia town of 5000 inhabitants This town is the com mercial center of a great mining and numbering district i'll that enormously rich Province The writer recalls only too we'll that sort of Western environ ment 20 years ago. At that time the drinking and gambling resorts in these small commercial centers of the Far West were as evil, as disgusting as any thing the English-speaking world has ever given us. Thousands of lumber men, miners and cowboys would come into one of these towns and waste their seasons savings during single idle week. The results for both the town and the men can never be forgotten. One who never saw Bisbee and Butte, Nelson and Tonopah, in the old days can not quite imagine the uttermost evils of the old-time drink traffic.
 Very we'll On a Saturday morning in June, 1924, the writer entered the government liquor store in such town in British Columbia. There was no sound but the humming of bee in the lilac bush at the back door. The gov ment agent sat at his desk from 9 till 12, casting his accounts. During that time only one person, woman entered. She was well-dressed and soft-spoken. She purchased one bottle of wine in the same manner that she would ask for yard of ribbon in neighboring shop. When 12 o'clock struck the door was locked until o'clock Monday morning.
 This government agent is one of the most respected men of the community When the old saloon system was III op- eration he was an ardent temperance at personal sacrifice. He wishes, as an honest and intelligent citizen and tenn perance reformer, to see the system given fair trial. He is the sort of man one would like to see appointed post master or county sheriff in that connmu- nifty.
 During the month of travelling in Bri- tish Columbia in May and June last the writer saw no intoxicated person. The difference between British Columbia and Quebec in this matter is due not only to the system, but to other factors as we'll Undoubtedly British Columbia ex- ercises greater care, and there are com paratively few American tourists there.
 To purchase at the government store in British Columbia one must take out a permit, paying two dollars as regis try fee Of course it is also more diff fcult to control the business in Mon treal, city of 750,000 inhabitants, than in a rural community. But the point made by the British Columbia agent, that it was his duty to sell as little as he could persuade people to buy, is vastly important And British Columbia has very wisely introduced careful ac-