Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-05-11
FAIR
ENOUGH
BY Westbrook
Pegler

NSlS'
THESE dispatches never have
Il given aid or comfort TO pro-
hibition, but / do say that our
public and official alarm over
the shortage of liquor is pa
thetic in a people who are sup
posed to be adult.
This situation il entirely dlf-
ferent from that which provoked
the rebellion against the
Eighteenth Amendment.
In the present case. the de-
NAL is due to the misfortunes
OF war and IL is put 10 ~ that
if the vanishing supply is 10 be
repleniShed there must be a
curtailment in production OF
materials needed for the war.
Under prohibition there was
no question of grain shortage OF
facilities and the majority OF
the people felt that they were
victims of sadistic political mi
nority's pet prejudice.
But not even the blttereSt
opponent of, the drys ever was
silly enough 10 argue that
whisky, rum or gin was good
for any one except in illness,
and then only in small doses.
The fight was waged on the
issue that. subject to certain
limitations. regulations and
taxes. people should have a right
to drink.
MOREOVER. when Mr.. RooSe-
WI velt was first elected he
promised repeal Of the foul
amendment
The common understanding
was that the old corner saloon
would never return and most OF
the citizens were willing TO
settle for a formula known as
light wines. whatever they may
be. and beer.
Instead. We got good. solid
grog, on sale IN some types OF
places which IN the old. pre-
prohibition days never handled
hard liquor.
And we have been pouring II
on our breakfast food and
squirting it on our lapels ever
since.
All that has stood between us
and all we could hold have been
price and personal restraint.
This was repeal beyond our
greatest hopes.
MEANWHILE, as this war
w has gone along the soft
drink trade has suffered much
more than the liquor business.
but-with no noticeable protest
or discomfort.
/ believe the ice cream soda
and the chocolate matted milk
were at least as strongly estab-
liShed in the appetites and
habits Of the public These deli
cacies are sadly diluted nova
days where they are 10 be had
Al all and many stores which
sold them as Specialties have
simply had 10 close.
But there has been no percep-
tible reduction In the number
Of saloons.
They are regarded as luxur-
les. and for lack Of first class
ingredients and because Of the
shortage OF even the substitutes.
the supply is relatively meager.
There never was any problem
OF father. dear father, lushing
ice cream SodaS as the clock in
the steeple struck /. because
two Of them was about the limit
OF the normal capacity and most
customers were content with
one al sitting.
VET, no control board takes
Il any notice Of this denial. as
IS done in the case Of liquor. by
various authorities. fearful OF
bootlegging.
While one does hear much
apprehension Of liquor drought
and talk OF rising prices. due
largely 10 taxation. those who
have put soda-fountain drinks
out Of their lives have submitted
so quietly that they seem not
even 10 realize that they are
doing without.
1t seems 10 be accepted
thought that the ingredients,
particularly the cream. are
somehow going 10 the troops"
or possibly TO the Russians and
the Greeks. and that this lust
has 10 be until better times
Yet these were not merely oc-
caSlonal drinks One chain of
drug stores made It's soda foun-
tains enormously popular with
uncommonly rich chocolate
matted milk served. and the an
nual volume Of tho soda foun.
tain business under normal con-
dtions certainly gave il the dig.
nifty Of an industry.
incidentally, in the story Of
the late 1t. Col Dyess. who es-
capped from the Philippines. il
vas related that one of his
greatest desires on reaching the
United States again was a choc-
olate matted milk.
These are not necessarily I'M
manly delights.
SO. II liquor must eventually
~ H.. -