Licensing and temperance in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark / by Edwin A. Pratt.

  • Pratt, Edwin A., 1854-1922.
Date:
1907
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Licensing and temperance in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark / by Edwin A. Pratt. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    106/136 (page 92)
    throughout Denmark, while in villages where the population is too poor to allow of special houses being set apart for the purpose the local schools are utilized. Conducted in accordance with these prin- ciples, the temperance movement is making much progress in Denmark. The various societies, twenty-seven in number (exclusive of local lodges), had an increase in membership during 1905 of over 11,000, the present total, in a country of 2,600,000 inhabitants, being close on 150,000. But, although they have about seventy supporters in the Danish Parliament, they seem to have no political programme. On inquiring as to the nature of such programme, which I naturally assumed to exist, I was told : ‘ We haven’t got one. All we have asked for at present is that the Government should give us a contribution towards the cost of setting up a home for inebriates.’ A temperance party which does not worry the national Parliament for all sorts of coercive measures, but quietly sets about doing all it can to promote sobriety on the broadest and most common - sense lines, is, surely, deserving of no inconsiderable measure of respect. In carrying out the general policy I have here sought to describe, the Danish temperance party have had the active co-operation of the brewers. It was about ten years ago that leading members of the said party, recognising the hopelessness of promoting their cause so long as the doctrine of ‘ total abstinence ’ from all alcoholic beverages was alone maintained, got into communication