The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-10-27
A Whited Sepulcher

Sweden is apparently the verge of discard
ing the hasco known as the Bratt system at the
very time that misguided liquor propagandists are
urging the adoption Of this or some other similar
system by the United States.
"That the Bratt system has failed commonly is
recognized throughout Sweden
Liquor smuggling and bootlegging have become
plaques
"The debauchery of youth, the increased home
drinking an dthe of ardent spirits by women are
among the factors which have aroused the people
Increasing drunkenness and crime have marked
the Bratt system while intoxication and lawessnes
have decreased under American prohibition"
And so forth and so on
Here is the truth:
Since Sweden adopted the Bratt system Of liquor
control consumption ardent spirits has decreased
nearly 40 per cent throughout the country and by APP
proximately so per cent in Stockholm.
Crimes of violence have fallen off some 4S per
cent In the nation whole and about so per cent in
the capital and largest city.
among and young people the improve
ment has been particularly marked" says Acting Po
lice Chief Erik Hallgren of Stockholm, who should
know. eff let 100 reprehsent the index figure for
average drunkenness among women during the three
years prior to the adoption of the Brat system the
figure has fallen to 80, while for young people
between is and 20the decrease in indicated drunken
ness is from 100 to IT,"
During the last year there appears to have been
slight setback in these last figures, DUE Dr. Bratt
believes to increased prosperity in the land Parenthet
ically it may be remarked in this connection, that
the difference between Sweden and is she admits
these things and looks for remedy, while admit
nothing and allow the abuses to go on.
But it is the general trend over period of years
that counts, not just the figures for any one year.
Waves roll in and roll out with each passing
minute yet slowly but surely the oceans tides ride or
fall as the hours go by. And must tides be meas
ured.
Liquor smuggling and bootleggng in Sweden, Hall
gren declares is negligible whereas in prohibition
Finland just across the Baltic they have gotten
rely out of hand While crime of all sorts is increasing
Is it commonly recognized in Sweden that the
Bratt system has failed" as asserted in the handout?
The answer is emphatically no.
In 1909 a pebiscite on prohibition in Sweden
suited in 100000 votes being cast in favor of it and
only 10000 against. In 1922 similar vote showed
only $4,000 in favor of prohibition with $4,000
against In other words, after the Bratt system
adopted some 100000 prohibitionists converted
by its merits. That certainly does not look like
failure
AS for the "debauchery of youth drunkenness and
crime" in Sweden the above figures speak for them
selves where there is open mind On the other
hand it is we'll known that in the United States these
things have become national scandal On this point,
however is useless to insist since it always is futile
to argue that two and two make four. Either
sees 1t or one doesn't
Drunkenness is a great evil All agreed
that But binding ourselves to the plain facts in tie
case will not cure it.
After all, what are we trying to do? Make our
country really and truly temperate or set up whed
sepucher and worship before it, while shutting our
eyes and to the debauchery, crime vice, corrup
ton graft bootlegging, hijackng moonshining, SNUG
Cling racketeerng, bribery outlawry and murder that
going behind it?
To pursue this latter is not only hypocritical
but it betrays our boys and girls, men mad women
government and society into the hands of vicious
underworld for the sake of appearances only.