SWEDEN CAUGHT IN A DROUGHT WHEN 40 YEARS OF LIQUOR RATIONING ENDED 
IN 1955, MOST SWEDES LAID IN AMPLE RESERVE STOCKS, VOWING NEVER 
TO BE CAUGHT SHORT AGAIN . BUT THERE THEY WERE, WITH 
CUPBOARDS BARE LAST WEEK, AMIDST THE DIREST SHORTAGE SINCE THE HEIGHT 
OF GOVERNMENT CONTROLS . TROUBLE FOR THE HARD-DRINKING SWEDES BEGAN WHEN 
FOREMEN OF THE STATE WINE AND LIQUOR MONOPOLY DISTILLERIES WENT OUT 
ON STRIKE FOUR WEEKS AGO . THE GOVERNMENT DECLINED THEIR DEMANDS 
FOR LONGER VACATIONS . AS A RESULT, THE DISTILLERIES CLOSED UP 
TIGHT, AND THE COUNTRY BEGAN TO DRY UP FAST . LAST 
WEEK WINES, WHISKIES AND LIQUEURS WERE ALL BUT GONE, AND, EVEN 
WORSE, THE SHOPS WERE RUNNING OUT OF AKVAVIT, SWEDEN'S FAVORITE DRINK 
. AS ALARMED SWEDES LINED UP AT STATERUN PACKAGE STORES TO 
BUY WHAT THEY COULD, THE GOVERNMENT RESTRICTED AKVAVIT SALES TO A 
BOTTLE PER CUSTOMER . AND WORD WENT OUT THAT UNLESS SOMETHING 
IS DONE THIS WEEK, FULLY A THIRD OF ALL SWEDEN'S LIQUOR 
STORES WILL BE OUT OF AKVAVIT ALTOGETHER . BOOTLEGGERS TURNED UP 
FURTIVELY WITH THE POPULAR BRANNVIN AKVAVIT, ASKING $20 FOR THE BOTTLE 
WHICH NORMALLY SELLS FOR $5 . " A DISASTER, " MUTTERED 
ONE SWEDE, WAITING HIS TURN IN A STOCKHOLM QUEUE . IN 
THE SOUTH, SOME DESPERATE SWEDES WERE EVEN HOPPING FERRIES ACROSS TO 
DENMARK TO SEEK RELIEF AT COPENHAGEN BARS . RESTRICTING MOST MEN 
TO THREE QUARTS PER MONTH, AUSTERE BY SWEDISH STANDARDS . 