Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-02-12
STARS. MEN AND ATOMS
Notebook of Science Progress in Field,
Laboratory and Study.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

North America was bone dry" when
white men first came in contact with
the Indians. From the present Mex
lean border to the Arctic Circle, not
a soul ever mad tasted alcohol.
This is one of the findings of Rev.
DR.. John M. Cooper, professor of
anthropology at Catholic University,
who is making a survey of drinking
among primitive peoples the world
over in the hope that the distribution
and history of alcohol consumption
may bring to light some fundamental
factors in this worldwide problem.
DR.. Cooper has compiled a world
alcohol map showing conditions. as
revealed from the reports Of explorers
and missionaries, before the white
traders gin and whisky was super
imposed upon the aboriginal cultures.
1t shows about half the world without
any native intoxicant-all of the pres
ent United States and Canada, SOUTH
ern South America, Polynesia and
Melanesia, northern Europe and Asia.
Australia, South Africa and small
patches of East Africa. The rest of
DR.. Cooper's map Is red, showing the
use of some form of alcohol as far
back as history or tradition extend.
Use of wines and beers, DR.. Cooper's
survey shows, probably was a rela-
lively late development in human cul-
ture. It came only with the evolution
of agriculture-probably to the point
where there was an agricultural sur
plus. In every case the native drink
is based upon the chief crop. 1t was
"chicha," or corn beer in America,
millet beer in Central Asia and Eu-
rope, rice beer in the Orient, palm
wine in Africa, grape wine along the
Mediterranean. Almost inevitably,
use of intoxicants accompanied a
staple crop.
Apparently primitive brewing and
wine making had several independent
origins, but DR.. Cooper's evidence in
dicates that they spread from centers
of culture and may have made rela-
lively slow progress. The American
case is a good example. When the
Spaniards came to Mexico, they en-
countered drunken population.
"Chicha" was guzzled in enormous
quantities. But north of Mexico, al
though among some tribes corn was
a staple crop and even yielded sur
pluses, the drink was unknown. There
was not a saloon" from the Rio
Grande to Great Slav Lake. The ap-
parent explanation. DR.. Cooper be-
lieves, is that the brewing art had not
had time to spread from the culture
center. If the white man never had
entered the scene the last few decades
might have seen the first introduction
of intoxicants among the Indians Of
the United States. "Chicha" has just
crossed the Mexican border.
Most of Africa is big red patch
on DR.. Cooper's map. The continent
has been dripping wet as far back as
tradition can be followed. But there
are some white spots-the restricted
habitats of nomad, hunting peoples.
representing the lower levels OF cul-
ture, who have no staple crop.
X X X X
Civilization dawned, DR.. Cooper's
researches show, on drunken world.
Babylon was Keeling. Its plentiful
taverns were centers Of its notorious
immortality. China and India were in
woeful states of rice beer intoxication.
Even at the beginnings Of recorded
history there were reform movements
under way which succeeded in bring
ing about some degree Of sobriety In
the ancient civilizations.
The drunkenness of primitive Europe
on mead shocked the relatively sober
Romans. It was considered no dis