Evening star., 1947-02-19
Letters to The Star
Prison Head Urges Hebert Bill
in Attack on Alcoholism


lenging heading for the last of George
Kennedy's excellent articles on alco-
holism Indeed, 1T Can Be Done Here"
If we are willing to abandon methods
we know to be futile and follow course
in line with modern knowledge. 1t is
time we got away from the notion that
chronic alcoholism is moral question
and can be cured by punitive methods
alone. This is not to say, of course, that
Imprisonment is not effective in some
cases, but it is far from the only answer.
The bill introduced by Congressman
Hebert, as The Star indicates edtorially,
will assuredly cut down the dimensions
of the problem. It will do this because
it's underlying philosophy of prevention
and treatment is sound. More, 1t will
be placed in effect in an area where
judges, police officials and many civic
minded agencies are sincerely seeking
better way.
There are two aspects of the bill in
this connection which Mr.. Kennedy did
not, it seems to me, sufficiently empha-
size. The first of these is that the bill
makes possible wide variety OF treat
ment methods. The director of the clinic
is authorized not only to provide "clin-
ical" treatment, but also advisory and
psychiatric "out-patient" care. It is well
established that large number of COM
pulsive drinkers, especially those in the
middle income groups, need primarily
mental hygiene, counseling and advisory
services IN their own homes. 1t is such
methods of treatment as these which
account for the success of, Alcoholics
Anonymous groups. The same tech
niques can be used by the clinic for
those who do not voluntarily join such
organizations or who are brought to the
attention of the clinic by friends and
members of their family. We know
chat a skilled worker who is not over
burdened with cases can accomplish
wonders with alcoholic victims without
committing them to an institution with
its accompanying stigma.
May Volunteer for Treatment.
The bill provides that any resident Of
the District of Columbia may voluntarily
submit himself for treatment It is be-
ieved that considerable numbers will
take advantage of this provision If
methods and procedures of community
treatment can be developed. Mostly this
requires only funds and leadership.
Fine and productive as these programs
can be, they reach only those alcoholics
who have "hit bottom" mentally and for
whom something must be done if they
are not to become a permanent charge
on their family or the community. They
do not and cannot reach much larger
number of problem drinkers or those
who need to bring their use of alcohol
under control. These can be helped only
through other methods. That is why
the bill authorizes the director of the
clinic to make recommendations looking
to the prevention of excessive and
abusive use OF alcoholic beverages, pro-
mote temperance and develop informa-
ton to be used in program OF public
education directed toward preventing
the use of alcoholic beverages excessively
and abusively. A number of States, in
cluding New Jersey and Connecticut,
already have commissions engaged in
similar activities. Unquestionably, much
valuable data could be developed and
many worth while programs could be in
augurated under this provision of the
bill
The scope of the bill, in short, Is
sufficiently broad to make possible a
fortnight and realistic attack on all
phases of the problem of alcoholism.
Certainly it will save human values as
well as the taxpayers funds. Inciden-
tally, the cost of alcoholism to the COM
munity cannot be even estimated. The
figure is not to be arrived at by CONF
bining the costs of arrest, trial and
confinement of alcoholics, large as that
may be. Even greater is the cost to
the community in inefficient workers,
in public welfare payments and in the
widespread effect of broken or disrupted
homes. Much Of the problem of juvenile
delinquency springs from homes which
have been broken because of excessive
drinking. In short, when we attack the
problem of alcoholism we are getting at
the roots of many other social problems,
expensive both in money and human
misery.
The Star is certainly to be commended
for the space, time and research it is
devoting to this difficult problem be-
cause the lack of action up to now is
due in considerable part to the fact
that the public generally has not been
acquainted with the facts. Keep up the
good work. JAMES v. BENNETT,
Director U. S. Bureau of Prisons.
May Be Other Schools Favored
To the Editor of The Star:
Your editorial entitled More Than
Fare Involved" is most unfortunate,
for it fails fully to evaluate the
pertinent facts, and, consequently, ac-
tually will stimulate the ill-feeling
which, it is charged, will result from
the New Jersey decision. For instance,
it is stated that the Catholic schools
are the only private schools in the
State which are favored. The record
discloses no evidence with reference to
conditions prevailing in other portions
of the State of New Jersey. True,
parents sending their children to Cath
olic schools were the only applicants
in the Township of Ewing. If there
had been applicants for fares" by
parents sending their children to nom
profit schools other than Catholic ones,
the board would have been constrained
to pay these fares by virtue of the
statute.
In light of these facts, your editorial