ALCOHOL'S OTHER SIDE

     Annual crime rate in Texas is over One Billion dollars! Annual cost
for dependent, neglected children is over $20,000,000! Annual highway
deaths cost over $88,000,000 (2600 deaths at #34,000 for each life.)
     The F.B.I. estimates that 60% of all crimes are alcohol involved;
28 Texas district judges state that 62% of all dependent, neglected
children are wards of the state because of alcohol. Homer Garrison, Jr.
states that 34% of all highway deaths are alcohol caused. In these areas
alone, the citizens of Texas lose $546,000,000. (The above figures
appeared in the Dallas Times Herald, April 2, 1960.)
     Who pays the 546 million dollar annual bill? The alcohol advocates
tell us that the liquor tax will cover all expenses, however, this is
not the truth. Recent figures (reported by AP, 1960) show that Texas
collected $2,364,861 for the two months of February and March. The
annual average liquor tax will amount to less than $15 million. The
liquor tax will pay less than 5% of its total expense. Who pays the
bill?  The citizens of Texas pay the bill.
     These figures show findings in 1960. This writer is confident that
the situation is still the same, only to a greater degree. But, let us
suppose, just for arguments sake, that the liquor tax covered every
dollar that was spent to correct the evils brought about through the
consumption of liquor. Is there any way to place a dollar value upon the
broken homes, neglected children, the unwarranted deaths of innocent
people upon the highways, the continual evil brought about by those who
have bowed before the devil's beverage? Let the liquor advocates tell us
the value of a husband and father whose death was brought about by a
drunken fool. "24% of all highway deaths are alcohol caused." Can tax
money equalize these deaths? Ask the orphaned children, the widows, the
neglected.
     Yet, in spite of all this (not counting the condemnation of God's
Word), there are religious (?) people who seek to justify social
drinking. There is no place in the life of one who desires to please
Jehovah for moderate, social, or any other kind of drinking of alcohol
beverages.
     -- Jack Thompson, preacher for the White Park church of Christ.

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