THE DRINKING HABIT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 20041, 2 September 1920, Page 6

THE DRINKING HABIT.

ENGLAND AND AMERICA. Ihcro is good reason whv the majority of Americans fear and dislike intoxicatingUquora m any form, while the majority of the inhabitants of Great • ''itam. and of Europe generally not (says an American paper). The explanation is that_ few Americans, comparatively speaking, know good liquor or understand decent drinking, while Europeans, who produce and consume wine, beer and spirits of all kinds, as a rule, possess good liquors and use them in an intelligent manner. Leaving Continental Europe out of consideration, the British drink wine or beer at their meals; and whisky or other spirits between times, in their houses and as an aid to social intercourse and homo comfort. They drink at public bars also; but most of their drinking is not done at a counter, by any means” Hero it has been quite unusual, in recent years, to drink anything at homo meals except water or ice cream (if that can be culled a drink), and it was only in rare instances that a whisky decanter was produced on occasions of social enjoyment Or business interviews in private houses. In fact, it was considered. by large sections of society, bad form to keep any intoxicants in one’s home. The consequence was that men who drank at nll had to frequent public bars, which is a dangerous practice in any country. It was especially dangerous here for the reason that rtood Honor was hard to obtain—impossible in many districts, and very expensive in nil. Whisky was made from rye in Kentucky and other States; beer was made by German brewers all over the. country, but not quite as in Germany; and wine was made in California. All were tdrorused as sunerior to the European article; and all were rushed on to the market as soon as made .without being allowed to*mature, for that would have meant tying un capital—an “ efliciency ” crime. These liquors were dispensed in the “saloons” of the country, mostly by hyphenates of the immigrant class. Of course, Irish and Scotch whisky, English gin and ale, and Irish shut—also Euronean wines—were obtainable at very stiff prices, in the high class bars of the cities, but the American public, ns a whole, knew nothing about them. American drinking generally consisted of gulps of neat rye whisky, often followed by beer as a “chaser,” or inordinate swallowing of fresh beer, iced (winter and-summer) until it was tasteless—beer which sickened before it intoxicated. In New York, certainly and probably in most parts of the country, the bars were open all night as ’.veil ns nH day. including Sundays, despite excellent closing laws which were not enforced. Such non-enforcement was profitable to all concerned, except tlie ha'iitwjs.