A TIDAL WAVE OF WETNESS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 20 October 1922, Page 4

A TIDAL WAVE OF WETNESS.

1 : An article of remarkable interest appears in Leslie's Weekly (of New York), dated June 3, 1922, from tthe pen of Samuel Hopkins Adams, one of the foremost journalists in the States. This article explains how the consumption of wine in the United States has now *cached the amazing total of ! 100,000,000 gallons per annum. The highest mark in pre-prohibition days was certainly not above 75,000,000 gallons. An increase of 33 per cent, is certainly an unexpected development of the dry regulations! Yet this manufacture and consumption are almost wholly within the law. Although it is legal to make and sell "near beer," Mr. Adams shows that about 10,000,000 barrels of "lawless" beer were manufactured in 1921, the bulk of it being produced in private homes. Much of this finds its way to the saloons, which are operating more and more openly in the larger cities. There are probably 1000 saloons in New York City and about 1500 in Philadelphia. The legalising of the imme- -_ wine industry makes a fascinating tale. Where, before prohibition, the Californians had made their wines and sold them at low prices in competition with the more favoured foreign vintages, they now sold grapes, the raw material of wine, in such quantities and at such prices as had never been dreamed of; 86,000 acres of new vineyards were added to the Californian plantings in 1921, an increase of 21 per cent, of the total acreage. "The railroads of the country carried in 1921 about 400.000,000 tons of grapes. On the basis of expert manufacture one ton yields 150 gallons of, wine; but, as a matter of fact, the home manufacture method stretches it out to more than 200 gallons. Accepting the former basis, however, 60,000,000 gallons are thus to be reckoned upon, attire smallest estimate, as having been derived from railroad shipments. "Imported raisins give a significant clue to what is going on. The year 1920 saw ten times as many raisins imported as in the four previous years put together. Of course this may have been ! in response to a sudden and passionate addiction to rice pudding on the part of the American public; but the rice- ■ growing figures fail to support the; hypothesis. There is at least ground for suspecting that the raisin in this manifestation represents that potentiality known as "kick.' Similarly, currant imports doubled in the four years from 1916 to 1920. Taking all elements into consideration, it is by no means an extreme estimate to set the figure of 100,000,000 gallons of wine as the present yearly rate of production of this country. The former high mark was certainly not over 75,000,000 gallons. In view of the facts recorded above, it is no wonder that Mr. Adams declares that "we are becoming, perhaps have already become, a nation of home; brewers and home vintners." I The New Zealand voter wants to know, "Is Prohibition a success?" This article shows that it is'not, and never can be. Vote Continuance! 46