The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-05-13
SWEDEN FINDS
REAL KEY TO
TEMPERANCE
Bratt Plan of Government
Liquor Control Exiles
Hard Drinks.
CRIME FIGURES FALL
BootIegger Is Abolished and
Nation Turns to Light
Beer.
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIATMS
scripps-Howard Foreign Editor

WASHINGTON. May 13.-The
Bratt system Of liquor control-now
being studied by senate manufac-
lures subcommittee for possible
adoption in this country - has
turned Sweden, once world
champion booze consumer, into one
Of the most temperate and law
abiding nations on earth.
Into this system-propoSed TO
the subcommittee by John M.
Morehead, United States minister
TO Stockholm-the plan of Senator
Hiram Bingham to raise between
350,000000 and s500,000,00O des-
perately needed new revenue by the
legislation of beer admittedly would
At like a glove.
Under the Swedish system, they
have abolished the saloon. the
blind pig. the bootlegger, and the
moonshiner. They have reduced
liquor consumption so per cent. They
have cut crime figures in two. They
have lessened drinking among the
youth Of the land from an index
figure of 100 to a bare II.
State Takes Control
This change was brought about
by the state taking over the control
of liquor, abolshing private profit
from the trade and rationing the
citizens. They can have so much
hard liquor and no more, but light
beer, Notwithstanding in fact, may
be had more or less at will.
Until recent times, the national
drink" of Sweden was aqua Wit, one
of the most potent connections ever
devised by man. It was liquid fire
and sizzled on its way down. 1t
was distilled from potato mash, or
grain, or a mixture.
Today the most popular drink in
Sweden is q light beer, about 80
alcohol by weight. The demand for
the stronger drink has been dwin-
ding steadily.
Whistles, brandies. aqua Wit and
other spirits are obtainable only on
cards, or paSsbooks. You can OBJ
tain only so much a month. If
you are too poor to send your chill
dren to school, or pay for the
clothes you or your family wear, you
can't obtain passbook.
Drunken Drivers Punished
If you are arrested for driving
while drunk, your card is taken
from you
The system not only pays for it
self, but one-fifth of Sweden's total
revenues come from this source.
Taxes are materially lower than
they otherwise would be.
DR.. Ivan Bratt, a practicing ply
sician, invented the system At first
he was a prolibitionist. But. he told
the writer in the course Of an in
terview, you can't change human
nature by passing law. I OBJ
served that where we tried prohi-
bition, conditions became worse in
stead Of better. We added vastly to
crime and still had as much or more
drinking than ever.
Laws" he said, can be educa-
tional, but they can't dictate human
customs and habits. They can lead
in such matters, but they can't drive.
So I sought another plan. After all,
what I was after was temperance, a
minimum of drinking and I believe
we have found way to achieve it.
Finland Is Reformed
Finland, across the Baltic, had
prohibition like the United States.
found it easier to buy liquor there
than in Sweden. Bootlegging and
crime generally was rampant. New
Finland has gone Swedish
Drunkenness and what goes with
it." Stockholms acting chief Of po-
lice, Erik Hallgren told me, 'is de-
Ginning steadily and so is crime gen.
orally. AS a policeman, say in all
candor that I would not go back to
the old regime under the saloon, or
to prohibition, for anything in the
y4-rrId -