The Daily Alaska empire., 1937-07-03

on stools at low counter This is one more piece of evidence that John L. Lewis and the growing passion for wearing shorts have not destroyed all basic Ameri can traditions. The national lunch-counter habit survives and makes conquests on every hand.
 Mark Twain, in one of his early travel books, now almost seventy years ago, drew poignant contrast between American railway passengers wolfing food the depot lunch counter in ten minutes and clvlzed Europeans dining comfortably at the railroad res taurant in half hour. We have made great pro gress since then in dieares and table manners, but
 the drugstore today attests how deeprooted is the national passion for eating stool instead of a chair
 And it is not only the drug g-store counter. The hard drink counter commonly known a bar has annexed itself of stools for patrons to perch on The old brass rail is still there, but 1t IS largely historic gesture like King George getting permission from the Lord Mayor Temple Bar. It IS the ladies who are responsible for people sitting at saloon bars instead of standing up Qualified philosophers in this field may argue that the eclipse of the brass rail by the row of padded stools is revolution. Ii SO it is revolution within the American tradition The bar has only been transformed into counter
 People were fighting for Repeal not so long ago to the slogan of Light Wines and Beer. but they were correctly forecasting the future The old prefer ence for hard liquor the malts and the juice of the grape has asserted itself The national tempera- ment still wants the quick results associated with bars and counters rather than with tables Even when the modern generation dawdles its drinks 1t does so at counter.
 The OlQ naDlJ Ol dppedllIS HUH imp " Philip sober makes obvious assumption. Philip drunk is not quite Philip sober is a man at his best But look at the world today will not bear out the two Philips Ours is far from sane or reason able world But it is world which, in literal sense drinks much less than it used to do
 England, for instance still has 'ery impressive annual drink bill It comes to something not far from billion and a half dollars. But it is much smaller than once upon time Last year England consumed less than half the amount of beer she in, and ODly ohnut OP-tl of hard liquor Convictions for drunkenness are about one-fifth of prewar.
 Somehow the preceding paragraph, as one reads It again did quite arrive at its destination To prove our original point would have to show that Eng land is literally sober but in it's general conduct has gone haywre. But obviously England is one of the comparatively few countries in crazy world The temperance people could that precisely be- cause the English are drinking much less heartily since war they have been able to solve their serl ous problems-a business depression, and General Strike and throne crisis among other things
 But the point, as originally intended, is that the consumption of liquor has declined pretty nearly everywhere yet no one will seriously contend that the looks and behavior of pretty nearly everywhere today are anything to be proud of. The human race drinks good deal less than it used to do twenty-five years ago and is much more insane
 It is not intended here to establish any logical con- nection between a decline in the consumption ot alcoholic spirits and increase in general wild spirits But when reads about all the ascetcs and purltans and anchortes running amuck in the world person begins to wonder Hitler does not drink, smoke or eat meat. Stan is very sober feeder, does not drink we believe and puffs at modest briar. The latest devoee of vegetaranism and teetotasm, ii we recall rightly is General Franco.
 Consequently the temptation is strong to send out for great quantities of beefsteak ale and whisky and fat Havana cigars and force them down the throats of these absemious autocrats. It might wean them from much more sanguinary appeties. The world would be easily reconciled to the loss of Hers tee totalism if his totalitarianism went with it.