England's solution of the liquor problem / prepared by the Association Against the Prohibition Amendment.
- Association Against the Prohibition Amendment
- Date:
- 1930
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: England's solution of the liquor problem / prepared by the Association Against the Prohibition Amendment. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![England’s Solution of the Liquor Problem E SENT a representative to Great Brit- ain in the summer of 1929 to make a thorough investigation into the English liquor licensing system. The results of that in- quiry, which lasted three months, are given in this report. They show, among other things: 1. A rapid and steady decline in intoxication over a period of years; in the latest record, convictions dropped from 188,877 in 1913 to 65,166 in 1927 and 55,642 in 1928. 2. The annual “drink bill” has declined from £469,700,000 ($2,285,795,050) in 1920 to £288,200,000 ($1,402,525,300) in 1928.* 3. Consumption of spirits has declined from 31,660,000 gallons in 1914 to 12,881,000 in 1927; beer has gone down from 34,130,000 barrels to 20,819,000 in the same period; wine has risen from 10,630,000 gallons to 16,628,000. 4. The number of public houses has been re- duced, through a scheme of buying out li- censees with funds paid in by “the Trade,” from 99,478 in 1905 to 78,803 in 1928, and this continuing process is accompanied by extensive building of model “pubs.” 5. While high prices of liquor and reduced hours of sale have been important factors, the great growth of temperance is due largely to im- proved living conditions, recreational facili- ties, outdoor sports and popular education. A noteworthy feature of the English liquor system is that it has accomplished such im- pressive results without resort to harsh or unjust measures. Licenses have been, and are being, ex- tinguished, not through confiscation, but with compensation to the owners of redundant houses. The people have not suffered from arbitrary legislation. The licensing justices, with a com- prehensive law for guidance, have been enabled to use their own common sense, and have not been bound by rule of thumb. On the whole the system has set in motion a progressing social reform without coercion of the public or undue pressure. We submit the facts herewith in support of these observations. Generally, they can be * Wherever English money is quoted in American dollars in this pamphlet, the computation is made at par, viz., the pound at $4.8665, the shilling at 24 cents and the penny at 2 cents. {1]](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b33460565_0005.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
