Evening star., 1933-06-25

- HOUGH beer is back again, and back
with vengeance, Americans still are
the hardest drinkers Of soft drinks
in the world.
Just how seriously the return Of
foamy 80 will affect the enormous
industry that for Is years has hoated merrily
ON an ocean of pop, innocuous fruit juices and
ice cream sodas remains to be seen, though
there is little doubt that it will make serious
inroads.
Nor is there any reason to doubt that many
manufacturers heretofore engaged IN the pro-
duction and sale of bottled pop Will turn their
hands to beer as an agency Of greater profit
In fact, many already have done SO ana oSherS
unouestionably will follow.
Figures on beer sales for the first couple OF
months following passage OF the law nardiy
are reliable as an index OF what the annual
sale will be- In the first place, the tidal wave
of enthusiasm which greeted the return Of the
long lest beverage could not be expected TO last
Many bought beer during those first lew Gays
who won't buy much of 1t in the future.
On the other hand, Summer Is at hand now.
and hot weather makes people thirsty. And
the number of States where the sale Of beer Is
permitted Is growing steadily.
0EFORE Congress passed the beer bill there
. were something like 16 States where the
sale of beer would be permitted Immediately
and half a dozen more where the prospects
were bright 1t was with these figures in mind,
it is said that the Treasury, under Ogden Mills,
had based its estimate Of probable annual beer
revenue to the Federal Government at between
$l25 900 900 and $3.50 0,000,0 ,000
But. say the beer enthusiasts, look what hap
pened State after State hoped on the brewery
wagon Within a month after the passage Of
the bill IS States had either permitted the sale
Of beer or had made arrangements to do so in
the near future.
With a tax of IS on each barrel to bring in
an annual Federal revenue Of $50. 100000
would require a daily sale OF approximately
30 900 barrels in the United States. Most
authorities already admit that the estimate was
too conservative.
But whether it was too conservative or not
remains to be seen. By the end OF Summer
the country should have reasonable idea OF
Just how firm a hold 80 beer has on the public.
No matter what happens, it Is interesting to
survey the figures on the soft drink business.
Science and modern manufacture and dis
tribution made it possible for the modern girl
to pose on corner drug store revolving stool
while she joined her bcy friend in a refreshing
carbonated drink for the popular price OF a
nickel
For price and convenience, she has 1t all over
her famous feminine predecessor who started
this fad for flZZy drinks. She was none other
than the beautiful and willy Cleopatra who
enticed and impressed her iliustrious boy friend,
Mark Antony by mixing and drinking sizzling
connection at one of her famous banquetS, while
her languorous eyes watched her astonished
admrer over the rim Of her golden goblet
No one has estimated just how much that
one unique carbonated drink cost, but 1t is
known that she made it by disSolving one of
the finest pearls from the priceless collection
OF Alexander the Great in glass Of sparkling
wine. Perhaps the results justified the cost to
the indulgent Cleopatra and she may have
originated an idea for a great industry.