ALCOHOL AS A BEVERAGE 151 



when they began to drink. He received full answers from 

 258 persons. The table itself tells the rest of the story. 



AGE WHEN 258 PERSONS BEGAN THE ALCOHOL HABIT 



Before the age of 6 4 persons 



Between the ages of 6 and 12 . . 13 persons 



Between the ages of 1 2 and 1 6 . . 60 persons 



Between the ages of 16 and 21 . . 102 persons 



Between the ages of 21 and 30 .. 71 persons 



After the age of 30 8 persons 



By this table we see that 69 per cent of those who had the 

 alcohol habit, began to acquire it before they were twenty-one 

 years old, and that only 8 persons out of 258 began to use alco- 

 hol after they were thirty ; that is, after they were fully mature. 



It is evident, then, that if a boy can keep free from the 

 habit during the wonderful years between fourteen and twenty, 

 he has a good chance of escaping altogether. 



Those who sell alcohol are bright enough to know this. 

 They know that if they wish to continue their own particular 

 kind of business, they must make sure of the boys. Their 

 motto, therefore, seems to be " Gather in the boys and ruin 

 them." But certain boys are long-headed enough to decide 

 not to be gathered in. They say the environment of their 

 own brain cells and the welfare of their own descendants 

 mean too much to them to be sacrificed in this way. 



Not individuals alone, but nations also, are coming to the 

 same conclusion. In 1914 Secretary Daniels of the United 

 States Navy issued the following order : 



"The use or introduction for drinking purposes of alcoholic 

 liquors on board any naval vessel, or within any navy yard or 

 station, is strictly prohibited, and commanding officers will be 

 held directly responsible for the enforcement of this order." 



