The press THURSDAY, JULY 11 1918. Less Drunkenness in England.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16261, 11 July 1918, Page 6

The press THURSDAY, JULY 11 1918. Less Drunkenness in England.

""—.The fourth report of the Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic), dealing with the year ended fast March, ia an extremely interesting document. It shows that the policy of the British Government of attempting to lessen the amount of drunkenness by a rigorous system of control of the liquor trade has achieved - a gratifying amount of success. Ireland, which, for so many purposes, is treated as if it had no interest in the war, has not yet been brought tinder r the opera- - dons of the Board, but about nineteentwentieths of the populatioh of Great Britain lire in areas covered by the Board's orders. We learn from tho report that in the year 1917-18 the amount of spirits available for consumption, and the authorised standard ' barrelago of beer was 60 per cent. less than in 1916-17. Owing, however, to the progressive dilution of spirits and the decline of beer gravities, the bulk supply did not decrease proportionately, the reduction in the case of beer being under 30 per cent. The figures of convictions for drunkenness show that while - ' public drunkenness had already by the end of 1916 reached a low level ''which ''would have been thought incredible "two years previously," there has since been a further substantial, decline. Oho or two of the figures are worth quoting. The convictions for drunkenness among males in Greater London, which numbered 48,535 in 1913, fell to 10,931 in 1917. The convictions of females fell from 16,953 to 673(3 in the same In England and Wales, the deaths due to, or connected with, alcoholism (excluding cirrhosis of the liver) fell from 1112 (males) and 710 (females) in 1913, to 358 (males) and 222 (females) in 1917; deaths due to cirrhosis of the liver (commonly called "gin-drinkers' '' liver"),fell from 2215 (moles) and 1665 (females) to 1475 (males) and ' 80S (females); cases of attempted suicide from 1458 (males) and 963 (females) to 483 (males) and 452 (females); deaths from suffocation of infants under one year declined from 1226 to 701. The'essence of the policy pursued by the Board is that the canteens and other establishments where liquor is allowed to be sold are kept under strict control, and the managers make no profit out of the sale of intoxicants, but do receive a commission on the "food and nonintoxicatuifr drinks disposed of, so that' 'it is against their interests to enoour®g® the sale of liquor. Although the

object of the controlled establishments is not pecuniary profit, but the proper control of tho liquor traffic as an aid towards the successful prosecution of the war, yet the Board say it may bo conservatively estimated that after providing for rents, repairs, licence duty, rates and taxes (or contributions in lieu thereof), managerial and architectural staff, and depreciation on plant, furnishings, and utensils —the annual return on tho total capital commitments of the Board's direct control undertakings has been on the scalo of about 15 per cent. There are 780 industrial cantcens open, or being built, at munition works, as against 570 in 1917. These cater for 990,000 employees. Thero are about sixty canteens at the principal docks. The total amount of the allowances from earnings of controlled establishments which tho Board have undertaken to recommend in respect to the provision of canteens is £1,505,98.0.

Of course, it must be admitted that in considering the falling off in the number of convictions for drunkeness, etc., other factors besides the control cxerciscd by the Board should be taken into account. A very large number of young men, formerly given to drink, have been taken from the civilian population, and placed under the strict disciplino of the Army. With work for all, there is loss idleness than formerly, and idleness conduces to excessive drinking, as well as to other forms of vice. Still, on the other hand, the working classes in Great Britain havo more money to spend than ever before in their lives, and not infrequently in t"he past high wages have simply meant an increase of drunkenness. The reduction in the number of convictions for drunkenness, and deaths from alcoholism among women, is certainly very remarkable, especially as women in England are receiving more money, and many of them with husbands at the war havo additional temptations to drink to excess. Very significant is the falling off in tho number of deaths of infants from suffocation, proving that a large proportion of ,the cases of "overlying" are due to drunkenness among the mothers. The members of the Board are very optimistic regarding tho results of its three years' work. The report states that the ground gained, including a reduction of public drunkenness to approximately onoquarter of its previous amount, leaves a relatvely small margin for further improvement, but there are no signs of reaction. It adds: —"Whether the "improvement achieved will bo perma- " nent or temporary depends on unknown " factors, principally on future legislation and administration, but their " experience suggests to the Board "that thore is no such inherent diffi- " culty in the problem, as to render im- " possible the pormanent maintenance "of tho present level of sobriety." We doubt if State purchase will be carried in England, but we fancy that the sale of intoxicants is one of those things which will not he allowed to revert to pre-war conditions. We shall be surprised if a good deal of the control exercised owing to the necessities of the war is not retained in the interests of the community as a whole when peace