my discovery of england-第21章
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In England the case is different。 Already the English are showing the first signs that indicate the possible approach of prohibition。 Already all over England there are weird regulations about the closing hours of the public houses。 They open and close according to the varying regulations of the municipality。 In some places they open at six in the morning； close down for an hour from nine till ten； open then till noon； shut for ten minutes； and so on； in some places they are open in the morning and closed in the evening； in other places they are open in the evening and closed in the morning。 The ancient idea was that a wayside public house was a place of sustenance and comfort； a human need that might be wanted any hour。 It was in the same class with the life boat or the emergency ambulance。 Under the old common law the innkeeper must supply meat and drink at any hour。 If he was asleep the traveller might wake him。 And in those days meat and drink were regarded in the same light。 Note how great the change is。 In modern life in England there is nothing that you dare wake up a man for except gasoline。 The mere fact that you need a drink is no longer held to entitle you to break his rest。
In London especially one feels the full force of the 〃closing〃 regulations。 The bars open and shut at intervals like daisies blinking at the sun。 And like the flowers at evening they close their petals with the darkness。 In London they have already adopted the deadly phrases of the prohibitionist； such as 〃alcohol〃 and 〃liquor traffic〃 and so on： and already the 〃sale of spirits〃 stops absolutely at about eleven o'clock at night。
This means that after theatre hours London is a 〃city of dreadful night。〃 The people from the theatre scuttle to their homes。 The lights are extinguished in the windows。 The streets darken。 Only a belated taxi still moves。 At midnight the place is deserted。 At 1 A。M。； the lingering footfalls echo in the empty street。 Here and there a restaurant in a fashionable street makes a poor pretence of keeping open for after theatre suppers。 Odd people； the shivering wrecks of theatre parties； are huddled here and there。 A gloomy waiter lays a sardine on the table。 The guests charge their glasses with Perrier Water； Lithia Water； Citrate of Magnesia； or Bromo Seltzer。 They eat the sardine and vanish into the night。 Not even Oshkosh； Wisconsin； or Middlebury； Vermont； is quieter than is the night life of London。 It may no doubt seem a wise thing to go to bed early。
But it is a terrible thing to go to bed early by Act of Parliament。
All of which means that the people of England are not facing the prohibition question fairly and squarely。 If they see no harm in 〃consuming alcohol〃 they ought to say so and let their code of regulations reflect the fact。 But the 〃closing〃 and 〃regulating〃 and 〃squeezing〃 of the 〃liquor traffic〃； without any outspoken protest； means letting the whole case go by default。 Under these circumstances an organised and active minority can always win and impose its will upon the crowd。
When I was in England I amused myself one day by writing an imaginary picture of what England will be like when the last stage is reached and London goes the way of New York and Chicago。 I cast it in the form of a letter from an American prohibitionist in which he describes the final triumph of prohibition in England。 With the permission of the reader I reproduce it here：
THE ADVENT OF PROHIBITION IN ENGLAND
As written in the correspondence of an American visitor
How glad I am that I have lived to see this wonderful reform of prohibition at last accomplished in England。 There is something so difficult about the British； so stolid； so hard to move。
We tried everything in the great campaign that we made； and for ever so long it didn't seem to work。 We had processions； just as we did at home in America； with great banners carried round bearing the inscription： 〃Do you want to save the boy？〃 But these people looked on and said； 〃Boy？ Boy？ What boy？〃 Our workers were almost disheartened。 〃Oh； sir；〃 said one of them； an ex…barkeeper from Oklahoma； 〃it does seem so hard that we have total prohibition in the States and here they can get all the drink they want。〃 And the good fellow broke down and sobbed。
But at last it has come。 After the most terrific efforts we managed to get this nation stampeded； and for more than a month now England has been dry。 I wish you could have witnessed the scenes； just like what we saw at home in America； when it was known that the bill had passed。 The members of the House of Lords all stood up on their seats and yelled； 〃Rah！ Rah！ Rah！ Who's bone dry？ We are！〃 And the brewers and innkeepers were emptying their barrels of beer into the Thames just as at St。 Louis they emptied the beer into the Mississippi。
I can't tell you with what pleasure I watched a group of members of the Athenaeum Club sitting on the bank of the Thames and opening bottles of champagne and pouring them into the river。 〃To think；〃 said one of them to me； 〃that there was a time when I used to lap up a couple of quarts of this terrible stuff every evening。〃 I got him to give me a few bottles as a souvenir； and I got some more souvenirs； whiskey and liqueurs； when the members of the Beefsteak Club were emptying out their cellars into Green Street； so when you come over； I shall still be able； of course； to give you a drink。
We have； as I said； been bone dry only a month； and yet already we are getting the same splendid results as in America。 All the big dinners are now as refined and as elevating and the dinner speeches as long and as informal as they are in New York or Toronto。 The other night at a dinner at the White Friars Club I heard Sir Owen Seaman speaking； not in that light futile way that he used to have； but quite differently。 He talked for over an hour and a half on the State ownership of the Chinese Railway System； and I almost fancied myself back in Boston。
And the working class too。 It is just wonderful how prohibition has increased their efficiency。 In the old days they used to drop their work the moment the hour struck。 Now they simply refuse to do so。 I noticed yesterday a foreman in charge of a building operation vainly trying to call the bricklayers down。 〃Come； come； gentlemen；〃 he shouted； 〃I must insist on your stopping for the night。〃 But they just went on laying bricks faster than ever。
Of course； as yet there are a few slight difficulties and deficiencies； just as there are with us in America。 We have had the same trouble with wood…alcohol （they call it methylated spirit here）； with the same deplorable results。 On some days the list of deaths is very serious； and in some cases we are losing men we can hardly spare。 A great many of our leading actorsin fact； most of themare dead。 And there has been a heavy loss； too； among the literary class and in the legal profession。
There was a very painful scene last week at the dinner of the Benchers of Gray's Inn。 It seems that one of the chief justices had undertaken to make home brew for the Benchers； just as the people do on our side of the water。 He got one of the waiters to fetch him some hops and three raw potatoes； a packet of yeast and some boiling water。 In the end； four of the Benchers were carried out dead。 But they are going to give them a public funeral in the Abbey。
I regret to say that the death list in the Royal Navy is very heavy。 Some of the best sailors are gone； and it is very difficult to keep admirals。 But I have tried to explain to the people here that these are merely the things that one must expect； and that； with a little patience； they will have bone…dry admirals and bone…dry statesmen just as good as the wet ones。 Even the clergy can be dried up with firmness and perseverance。
There was also a slight sensation here when the Chancellor of the Exchequer brought in his first appropri
