CANDY, COCKTAILS AND “HOOTCH”

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 90, 11 January 1924, Page 10

CANDY, COCKTAILS AND “HOOTCH”

EATS AND DRINKS OF THE UNITED STATES “They are eating candy, drinking cocktails and ‘hootch’ and substituting ‘spars’ for bars,” said Dr. H. T. J. Thacker on his arrival from a tour abroad yesterday when interviewed by a Dominion representative as to conditions in America. Chemically treated gas drinks, ice creams, and soda ices ware consumed in great quantities. Wholesome food was difficult to obtain in the United States, as most of the food was preserved, stale, or came from cold storage. Furthermolre, it was covered over with a kind of sauce, calculated to camouflage it. In regard to “hootch,” the United States was in the throes of a stranglehold of this illicit alcoholic poison, combined of wood-alcohol, methylated spirits, flavoured with rum. It could be obtained almost anywhere if one knew how to “pull the strings.” The arrangement of sealing all liquor on ships when within the 12-mile limit was proving effective, but some of the rum-runners provided excitement. As Christmas approached they had resorted to the seaplane to carry on their work under cover of a mist, but the authorities were watching them very well.