Life, 1917-03-29 · page 32 of 42
Life — March 29, 1917 — page 32: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This article critiques American alcohol prohibition policy by contrasting it with Norway's more nuanced approach. The writer, citing Albert Nock, argues that Norway successfully reduced alcoholism by distinguishing between spirits (heavily restricted) and mild fermented drinks (taxed lightly or not at all, sold cheaply). The key satire: America's prohibition laws indiscriminately ban *all* alcohol, whereas Europe recognizes that low-alcohol beverages actually aid temperance. The article suggests American legislators are "fool[s]" who don't understand alcohol regulation and will likely bungle reform before reaching a sensible solution. The two illustrations—an angel on a globe and "Treasure Island" (pirates with a barrel)—appear to symbolize idealistic versus chaotic approaches to the drinking problem. The "Cabinet Adages" section is a separate joke, using cabinet members' names (McAdoo, Baker, Daniels, Redfield, etc.) in twisted proverbs, mocking their competence—a common contemporary satire technique.
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“LIFE* Drinks and Their Regulation I ‘ Norway they have solved the prob- lem of regulating alcoholic drinks, solved it so far as Norway is con- cerned. Norway has been drunken, and is now temperate. Albert Nock tells about it in the March Century, and though the “Guttenberg system” is not news, his short account of the application of it, or a system like it, in Norway is‘ tim In this country, he says, “liquor” legislation has aimed at revenue with incidental reform. In Norway it has aimed at reform without regard to revenue, Another difference between Norway and us is that “Norway looks on heverages of low alcoholic content as useful and effective aids to temperance, while we suppress them.” Europe as a whole, says Nock, recog- nizes alcoholism as attributable solely to the misuse of spirits and strong drinks. He says that even prohibition- ists on the Continent regard any drink carrying no moro than two and a half per cent. of alcohol as a temperance drink. But our prohibition laws usu- ally proscribe every drink into which alcohol enters. In Christiania, Mr. Nock says, the sale of spirits is closely restricted, but the lighter alcoholic drinks are sold everywhere, and are very cheap and good. Fermented drinks containing less than two and a half per cent. of alcohol are not taxed, and can be sold without a license. Beer is not allowed to contain over five per cent. of alco- hol, Beverages are taxed according to the percentage of alcohol they con- tain. In this country too, in the end, the milder alcoholic beverages—the Cali- fornia wines, perhaps—will be encour- aged, and the stronger ones heavily taxed and strictly regulated, And re- form and revenue will be absolutely separated. But we are likely to have very curious experiences of fool re- form and fool legislation before we come to that. Very few temperance agitators and not many American legislators are really wise about drinks. Mr. Nock thinks the Federal government. will “TREASURE ISLAND” ALINE CAN HEAR ITS HEAR BRAT.” have to take over the whole job, and that may be but at present Congress has least as much to learn about drink-regulation as other folks. The drink problem can be solved The solution is not in drastic prohibi- tion, though that may be a painful preliminary step towards a true remedy, true Cabinet Adages G is as Lansing’s notes. L** McAdoo as Adone by. A Newton Baker sweeps clean. you would he Me- If wishes were habeas corpuses, Gregories would abide. Burlesons of a feather flock together A Daniels in time destroys nine. It's a long Lane that has no learning. People who live in glass Houstons shouldn't sow stones. Consider the lilies of the Redfield: they spoil not, neither do they sin. comichooks.,