Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 June 1917 — WAR PROHIBITION TO AVERT FAMINE [ARTICLE]

WAR PROHIBITION TO AVERT FAMINE

Millions of Bushels of Grain Gan Be Saved. CONGRESS MUST ACT Conservative Estimates Show That 150,000,000 Bushels of Grain Are Used Annually In the United States In the Manufacture of Liquor. , That enough food stuff is annually consumed in the United States in the manufacture of intoxicating liquors to feed an army of 7,000,000 men throughout the entire year, is the amazing statement of Prof. Irving Fisher, Professor of Economics in Yale University, and a member of the National Council of Defense. It is further declared on good authority that the grain used in making liquor would produce 11,000,000 loaves of bread daily. Armed with such formidable arguments, it is not surprising that the forces that are demanding prohibition for the period Of the war are making great progress, and that Congress seems now on' the point of passing some sweeping legislation- on the subject. Since Herbert C. Hoover, newly appointed food commissioner, announced that the Allies would need a minimum of 960,000,000 bushels of grain and fodder during the coming year, many American economists have been trying to figure but where the ■supply is coming from. The most hopeful estimate places this country’s maximum yield at 600,000,000 bushels, most of which will' be needed at home. If famine is to be prevented, there must be a greatly increased yield and painstaking economy the world round. Certainly all forms of waste must be cut out. It is a conservative estimate to say that 150,000,000 bushels of grain are used annually in United States in the manufacture' of liquor. This includes corn, rye, malt, barley and wheat. Besides, millions of bushels of rice are used in making cheap whiskeys, and the amazing total of 152.000,00(1 gallons of molasses are consumed. Of grape sugar 55,01)0,000 pounds are used and 3,000,000 gallons of glucose ior syrup. Then there are thousands of bushels of fruit—peaches, apples, prunes, etc. The total amount of food stuffs thus Used is appalling. American economists are beginning to see that 150,000,000 bushels of grain will go far toward' keeping the wolf from the world’s door during the coming crisis, and they are lining up with surprising unanimity in favor of war prohibition. Nor should it be i supposed that this agitation is comI ing from professional reformers. Rather, the leaders in the movement are men like Prof.®-Fisher, of Yale University; F. A. Vanderlip, president of the City Bank of New York; Luther Burbank, the seed man; David A. Forgan, of Chicago; and others like them. These men are not viewing the question from the standpoint ol morals and reform but from the standpoint of national welfare and efficiency. Recently a petition was started amomr the governors of the country asking Congress and, the President tc : take immediate steps looking toward ! prohibition for the war. When the petition completed the rounds it bore the names of 46 of the 48 governors. One of the first to sign was Gov. James P. Goodrich, of Indiana. Would Save Billions

War prohibition would not only save millions of bushels of grain and other foodstuffs that now go into the manufacture of liquor, but it would save the almost incalculable sum that now goes over the saloon bars of the country., It is conservatively estimated that the nation’s annual drink bill is $2,500,000,000. With that sum of money the nation could underwrite annually a Liberty Bond Loan equal to the one just completed, with a half billion left over for Red Cross and Army Y. M. C. A. work. With the nation sober there would be an increase of thousands, probably millions, in the number of men fit for work and military service. Advocates of war prohibition are making much of the efficiency argument. They point effectively to the strict rules laid down by the war and navy departments Telative to drink. Congress has? passed a law forbidding the sale of liquor to a soldier in uniform. Liquor is not permitted in any army camp or on any war vessel. A recent order creates a two-mite dry zone around every military camp and post. It is stated on good authority thar' more men have been disqualified and sent home from Ft, Benjamin Harrison because of indulgence in liquor; than for all other causes com-

bined. , If liquor is such a menace to th<= nation's efficiency in a military way, a good many men interested in winning? the war are beginning to - ask why it would not be a good thing tff put liquor entirely away, at least dui» ing the period of war. There is another practical reason for stopping the.beverage liquor traffic and that is the value of alcohol as? a war. material. Ethyl alcohol is one of the chief ingredients in the making of powder and explosives. The millions of gallons of whiskey now in bond could with very little expense be transformed for use in government munitions factories. Already a number of bills are pending in Congress empowering the government to commandeer all liquor stocks for military use. That- Congress will take -some drastic action soon is considered certain. If existing pressure upon Congressmen and Senators continues it seems quite probable .that a thorough-going prohibition measure for the duration of the war will be passed shortly. Persons desiring to communicate with their representatives concerning the matter should do so without delay.