HIP FLASK HABIT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19846, 21 May 1927, Page 17 (Supplement)

HIP FLASK HABIT

PRACTICE IN NIGHT CLUBS EVASION OF LIQUOR LAWS. The “hip flask” habit, a practice of certain sections of night life in the United States, where young men and even girls carry their own liquor in flasks, in order to defeat prohibition, is now said to be becoming a feature of night club life in the West End of London. It is apparently, youth’s reply to the tightening up of police supervision over the sale of liquor after hours in certain night clubs. “At one night club I visited, in the small hours of the morning,” says a writer in the Sunday News, “a particularly hilarious party was in progress under one of the many balconies. I was certain that no liquor was being served by the manager, yet it was equally clear that liquor was being obtained from somewhere. “Very soon the mystery was solved. One of the shingled women had in front of her a bottle of soda-water, and, after a glance round to see that no one was paying too much attention, she drew a little jewelled flask, which could be readily concealed among the garments she wore. “From it she pourctf an amber liquid, and, adding the soda-water, drained her glass at a draught. Her example was followed by others, and flasks wore passed from one to another. “I saw a good deal of this practice in -America,” continues the writer. “There are hundreds of hip flasks on sale there in the jewellers’ windows, and I once saw a gold and jewelled one which could not have cost less than £lOO. Inquiries in the West End of London revealed that such flasks are now sold in England, and, although it may all seem very simple, it contains a very serious menace. “In America, since the introduction of prohibition, there arc said to be more young men and women who drink than ever before. They think it smart to evade the law, and the same thing seems to be obtaining in England. The fashion has only to be sot, and very soon frequenters of the night clubs will think the ‘hip-flask’ as necessary a part of their equipment as the powder puff. “Since the first occasion on which I noticed it I have often seen these flasks •n quite a number of West End clubs—and they are not all night clubs. “It is difficult to sec how this now evil can be combated. It is illegal, of course, to consume alcohol on club premises, even if one takes it along oneself. But how easy it is to evade the authorities. Ono girl I noticed, as soon as she finished her drink poured soda water into her glass and drained that off. What evidence is there, then, for any police-officer or club official? “I do not believe one in 10 of those girls drink because they are slaves to the habit. It is merely the desire to appear smart and up-to-date and to defy the law to which is attributed the rapid spread of this habit. ’ ’ Encouraging. The telephone-bell rang wildly, and the medical man had to get out of bed to answer the ’phone. It was an urgent call, and hardly had he replaced the receiver when the bell tinkled again. Another urgent call. “My dear doctor, I must apologise for bringing you out on a night like this,” said the second caller, a man who always had something or other wrong with him. “Oh, don't worry about that!” replied the doctor. “As a matter of tact, I’ve just had a call from another patient in your neighbourhood, so I can kill two birds with one stone!”