To Drink or Not to Drink - Part - A VITAL,PERSONAL PROBLEM FACING AMERICA TO-DAY

Sep 21, 2026

A vital, personal problem facing America to-day is examined through a careful consideration of arguments for and against prohibition. The text frames prohibition as a policy issue that divides the nation, then develops structured objections: personal liberty and the right of judgment; long-standing custom and moderation; physical needs and the enlivening effects of alcohol as described by physicians; and social instinct, where wine at gatherings supports sociability without violating decency.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLifestyle

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time31 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Arguments Against Prohibition

Liberty

Old Custom

Physical Needs

The Social Instinct

97-84097-12Johnson,James Wager To drink or not to drink [New York] [1928] COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIESPRESERVATION DIVISIONBIBLIOGRAPHIC MICROFORM TARGET ORIGINAL MATERIAL AS FILMED-EXISTING BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD Reproductions may not be made without permission from Columbia University Libraries. RESTRICTIONS ON USE: TECHNICAL MICROFORM DATA FILM SIZE: mmREDUCTION RATIO: 9:/ IMAGE PLACEMENT:IA IB DATE FILMED: 3/97 TLM INITIALS: TRACKING\#: 23820 FILMED BY PRESERVATION RESOURCES,BETHLEHEM,PA. BIBLIOGRAPHIC IRREGULARITIES MAIN ENTRY:Johnson,James Wager … ………… -- - -- - ---- -**To drink or not to drink… … …-- -…--… … Bibliographic Irregularities in the Original Document: List all volumes and pages affected;include name of institution if filming borrowed text. ___Page(s)missing/not available: _ _____Volume(s)missing/not available: X_Illegible and/or damaged page(s):__p.1-4(creased) Page(s)or volume(s)misnumbered: ____Bound out of sequence: ___Page(s)or volume(s)filmed from copy borrowed from: _____Other:_ ___Inserted material: _ To DrinkORNot to Drink ? A VITAL,PERSONAL PROBLEMFACING AMERICA TO-DAY 308 Z 0入二4 ByJAMES W.JOHNSON # TO DRINK OR NOT TO DRINK? Introduction When a great nation is so sharply divided ona question of policy,as is our country on thequestion of prohibition,there must be vital is-sues at stake.Our best thinkers—speakers andwriters—are plainly on opposite sides of thegreat problem.The only solution to such aquestion would seem to be a careful consider-ation of what may be said for and agaimst pro-hibition as we see it in operation. # ARGUMENTS AGAINST PROHIBITION Liberty First,personal liberty.This argument is acompelling one to all Americans.Our countrywas founded on,and has become mighty becauseof,the principle of personal liberty.Those whclaim the right to take such liquids as theychoose certainly seem to be as clearly on the sideof right as others,who claim the privilege of eat-ing such food as they prefer.Whether it isright or wrong to use stimulants is not the ques- # TO DRINK OR NOT TO DRINK8 tion.The thought is,what is my inalienable andinherent right of decision?Clear thinking wouldseem to leave no question.I claim the right todrink as freely as I eat.And why not?It maybe said that the use of drugs and poisons shouldnot be subject to law.In the last analysis,whyshould they?If I have no better self-controlthan to become a drug addict,or if I am so be-reft of reason as to destroy my life by poison,who shall claim the right to interfere with myaction?If no one but myself is affected,have Inot the right of decision?Of course,the in-creasing habit of stimulants,drugs or unwisefovds may mean moral,mental and physical de-generation.But shall the law step in and takethe position that I am incapable of judgment?If it were a case of children whose lack of ex-perience necessarily means faulty judgment,theaw would be justified;but in the case of think-ing men and women surely such a law would notbe founded on reason and justice. Old Custom8 Second,throughout the ages the use of alcoholin some form has been widespread.Those whorely on the Bible for their guidance will remem-ber Noah and his too great familiarity with wine TO DRINK OR NOT TO DRINK on at least one occasion.Throughout the his-tory of Israel as well as that of contemporarynations the use of wine was the rule,not the ex-ception.The abuse of wine was always con-demned,not wine used in moder

FAQs

Why does the author say the country is sharply divided on prohibition?

Because prohibition is framed as a policy question with vital issues at stake, prompting leading thinkers, speakers, and writers to oppose it from different sides.

What is the first argument against prohibition presented in the text?

Prohibition conflicts with personal liberty—the author stresses an inalienable right to decide what liquids one will use, rather than having law interfere when adults can judge for themselves.

How does the author connect alcohol to physical and social needs?

The author argues that moderate alcohol use can be enlivening and comforting for physical weakness, and that it also supports the social instinct in gatherings, provided it does not undermine decency or good manners.

Sep 21, 2026

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