The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1942-04-13

ference in Chi
cago and now the whole trades de-
batting il.
Customers previously had been
assured that there's enough whis-
key in stock TO last 'em for FIVE
years. but this seems to have been
an overestimate. or maybe the
country's been drinking faster Of
late than the dealers had expected.
Some brands OF the stuff, 1t was
stated at the Chicago meeting, will
play out in about six months and
if the world conflict continues, the
raw material simply won't be avail
able to produce any more. Imported
goods won't be obtainable from the
belligerent countries that we've re-
lied on hitherto. If they're still
making a bit Of It. their capacities
are so much reduced that they need
all they've got right at home.
Besides, good many bar flies
don't care for whiskey exclusively.
Some OF EN- depend entirely on
beer, or want beer chasers, any
way. There also is a demand for
considerable wine and purveyers
predict a stiff increase in it. II
harder Ticker becomes scarce and
the price Of it, per slug, advances
sharply. It's pretty expensive al
ready, and quite respectable boot
can be developed on a sufficient
number OF shots Of a strongly for
tilted grape juice.
From South America:
The Latin-American republics
generally have the NATURAL re-
sources and more or less OF the
equipment for stable outputs OF
intoxicating drinkables. Argentina
and Chile notably concoct lots Of
just as good wine as Spain, Portu-
gal or Italy, and charge just as
much for il, too. They likewise dis
til high quality rye and corn and
brew a modicum Of beer. though
beer isn't particularly popular with
natives in that part Of the world.
One thing they specialize on is
manufacture Of a fluid known as
"grappa, and perhaps they'll try
70 introduce it here. 1t takes deal
OF training, however, to swallow
few noggins Of it and continue to
live.
understand II was invented IN
Italy, but today it practically Is
Argentinas national drink. The
grappa-maker first accumulates an
enormous collection Of grapes,
which he skwlshes for wine. Then.
left over, he has vast quantity Of
skins, seeds and stems. From this
garbage he distills his gtappa. It's
approximately the equivalent Of
wood alcohol. Catch a victim who
doesn't realize what he's going up
against, induce him to take a siz-
able gulp Of that liquid, and II he
doesn't have a TT instantly, he's
proof against anything.
Nevertheless. it's possible to edu-
cate folk up TO it by degrees. The
Argentinos think it's grand and
dose visitors with it,. out Of socia-
bility. AS the war wags along, II
our alcoholic famine becomes acute
enough, perhaps wen have to fall
for grappa ultimately.
I'll say one thing in It's favor.
Darned little Of 1t goes a long dis
lance. It won't be bulky to import.
Presumably the Latin Americas
will keep out Of active participa-
ton in the current world strife.
However long it continues, they'll
still be in civilian production and
fixed to supply US with all the non
essential edibles and drinka bles we
may holler for-though I'd call
grappa violently poisonous rather
than non-essential.
Containers . Problem
And they'll like our trade, Of
course.
It doesn't necessarily follow,
though, that we shsn't run into diff
nculties in the matter Of serving
drinks over our bars.
Drinks have to have containers
TO retail EN- in.
That's going to be mean prob
lem for the Latin Americans to
solve. They can squeeze out grappa
and similar stuff until they're black
in the face. but they'll have to have
bottles or tin cans OF something to
do their marketing in>
They're not adequately indus
trialized to provide EN-.
We've seen tin cans for beer 20
INTO the discard already. Bottles
are likely to disappear next, as our
little metal tubes for cosmetics are
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