The American Issue

FRENCH WINE INTERESTS
AGGRESSIVE

They Plan to Extend Their Action to Foreign Countries:

The International Wine Interests Are Organizing Themselves: Under the Patronage of Several Governments to Put on Extensive Educational Campaign

(R. Hercod, Lausanne American Issue Correspondent)

France is becoming more and more the center of the adversaries not only of prohibition but of every organized movement against alcoholism which earnestly tends to reduce the consumption of alcohol and quite especially of wine. Paris is the seat of the International League against Prohibitions and of the very active wines and spirits exportation commission, the action of which Canada experienced during the campaigns for the abolition of prohibition in Manitoba, Alberta and very likely other provinces. Now a new society, that of the Union of the friends of French wines has been constituted of which the following is the programme expressed in its own terms:

"Stimulated by the favourable results obtained by other and similar protective federations, numerous wine-merchants, wine-growers, agents, representatives, writers, scientific workers, physicians, lawyers, journalists, hotel and restaurant keepers, bar-men, friends of wine and men of the world, have met together in order to unite their forces and their relations for the defence of the wine of France. They have brought about for the first time a meeting between those who produce, those who sell and those who consume wine. It is beyond doubt that such an association, which has its roots in all classes of the population, will serve the interests of viticulture and the wine trade.

"The friends of the wine of France will endeavor to multiply the manifestations in honor of all the products of the vine and to give them a popular character. With this object, they will employ every means at their command and will carry on an active propaganda, amongst the working population in particular; it must not be forgotten that the intellectual classes have long been convinced of the value of wine and they restrict their consumption of it only so far as they are obliged by economic conditions to do so.

"Wherever temperance workers organize actions against wine, the friends of wine will be there to reply not only by convincing arguments but by practical proofs.

"The Friends of Wine Union should be divided into sections, according to the field of activity of the members: thus, lawyers, physicians, engineers and chemists will use the opportunities of activity occurring in their professions. Journalists will render service by publishing articles and communications in favor of wine in their own papers, and by conducting correspondences for publication in the general press. A woman's section headed by women of high social position might obtain very interesting results in fashionable circles.

"This union should have no ulterior aims and should pursue no commercial interests. No special region, firm or brand of wine is to be favored. It must work solely for the wine of France.

"It will gladly accept all studies, all plans, all ideas presented to it if these are of a nature to serve the development and the extension of the national beverage.

"It desires to work in complete harmony with the different associations and corporations without in any way restricting their rights or their activity. All the numerous associations of wine-growers and wine merchants ought to be represented by their presidents in the new organization.

"The movement of the friends of the wine of France should not be confined to France alone, it must extend also to the colonies and to foreign countries. It is hoped that it will have a favorable influence on the increase of the consumption of wine."

Will Invade Foreign Countries

We beg our readers to meditate the concluding paragraph of the program: the activity of the Union will extend to foreign countries.

If this action in favor of wine were limited to private circles, there would be nothing surprising in the fact that wine-growers and wine merchants should try to defend their private interests. But unfortunately the governments, or some governments, give the movement their official support and are ready to unite to obtain better results.

Get Government Support

We read, for instance, in the official Gazette of the Spanish Government of February 4, 1927, that an international convention has been signed by the following governments: Spain, France, Chile, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, and Portugal in favor of the creations and maintenance of international Wine Institute. Among the most important tasks of this Institute will be the publication of documents and information as to the beneficial action of wine and the drawing up of a program of scientific experiments showing the hygienic effects of wine and its importance as a weapon in the fight against alcoholism. As the initiators of the International Wine Institute are assured in advance experiments will prove the beneficial effects of wine, we may expect to see the publication in the near future of sensational information as to the wonderful properties possessed by wine and its value as a beverage both for man and beast.

We must learn from our enemies. this is an old truth. We see the enemies of our cause working with more energy than ever and uniting in a great international body. We ought to follow their example and increase our efforts, working shoulder to shoulder and country with country.

No doubt the great convention which is being organized at Winona Lake will emphasize this necessity of a closer collaboration between all the adversaries of alcoholism.
REDUCED RATES TO THE WINONA LAKE CONGRESS

Reduced rates on railroads for the congress of the World League Against Alcoholism to be held at Winona Lake, August 17-23, have been granted by the Central Passenger Association. It is expected that in due time the same courtesy will be extended by all other passenger associations. These rates provide for round trip at one and one-half fares on the certificate plan. The selling date is August 7 to 19, and the last return date is August 27.