Page 4 Advertisements Column 3

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 96, 10 August 1945, Page 4

"WOE UNTO THEM . . . (No. 3) The year 1815 saw the battle of Waterloo. Napoleon had strategy t ingenuity and trained veteran troops on: his side but the night before the battle his General of Armies, Marshal Ney spent the night with his favourite wine. In the morning he failed to grasp the strategy, and failed to reinforce in tinie } and alcohol played its part in sending Napoleon to exile. We turn to World, War I. Three crack German veteran divisions came out of the. wine cellars of vil* lages near Paris so drunk that they were unable to fight: they were mowed down by the Allied machine guns. The German Crown in his gives this incident at the turning point in that World War. Their drunkenness brought disaster not only to the but also to their nation. We come to World War II when the French were still holding the Maginot Line. The French troops drank so freely of their vin rouge and vin blanc that the hospitals were full of delirium tremens cases. Whien the crisis came they were useless. Marshal Petain explained: "Our men were drunk and could not fight." Again the sure words- of Scripture was fulfilled: "Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink." (Isaiah 5:22). Inserted by Bay of Plenty S.D.A. Temperance Society. Advt.