JOHN BARLEYCORN

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 55, 21 February 1949, Page 4

JOHN BARLEYCORN

Sir,—As a champion for drunkenness John Barleycorn gives a good example of the drinker’s spirit. That is, to ignore all real evidence, statistics, and statements (they reveal too much), no matter from what authority. Such evidence is obnoxious to' him, but attempting to brush it aside does not alter it. To the drinker, beer is the all-im-portant thing. His name “Barleycorn” implies that he knows that beer begins with barley, a good foodstuff, which is put through a process of decomposition. The solid residue is sold for stock food, and pigs love it. The liquid residue is sold for humans, and some humans love it! The food elements are changed; little sugar remains; vitamins are all destroyed; protein is practically nil. The change is so complete that an ounce of bread contains more nourishment than a pint of beer„ although made from nourishing barley! The decomposition produces carbon-dioxide and alcohol, a poison. The old Maori named it, well when he christened it “rotten water.” My point is that every pint of beer represents so much barley taken from the insufficient food supply of a hungry world. Those in need of barley for food would surely not agree that J.B’s drunkenness harms no one else. ' While enjoying his drunkenness, J.B. makes a point of not allowing it to harm anyone else. In other words, when he is drunk, he still has control of himself! Then he cannot be drunk at all. Perhaps some of his “suds” have clouded his vision. Yours etc.. AWAKE.