KITCHENER'S WORDS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2320, 30 November 1914, Page 7

KITCHENER'S WORDS

AS TO "TOMMY'S" TEMPTATIONS. At Friday's "No-License" meeting in the Town Hall Mr. A, R. Atkinson made tho point that the present war was, as far as the Allies were concerned, practically a teetotal war. When war was declared France had at onco prohibited the sale of absinthe—tho country's greatest curso; Russia had sacrificed millions of : revenue by curtailing the sale of vodka almost throughout tho length and breadth of the country, and Lord Kitchener had warned tho soldiers in his circular of advice against yeilding to the temptation of drink, which statement had been omitted from the condensation of the message sent out. . Referring to a statement made by the Trade that Lord Kitchener iad not advised the British troops to abstain from liquor Mr. Atkinson eaid it would bci well to quote the exact words, which were:— .

"Your duty cannot be done unless your health is sound. So keep constantly on your guard against any excesses. In this now experience you may find tomptations both in. wino and women. You must en-

; tirely resist both, temptations." Tho interpretation put by the London "Times" upon these words was that they represented "an admonition to.abjure wine," and they wero so interpreted by the troops, many of whom, according to a letter .published by tho "Glasgow Herald," had taken tho pledge in consequence. The version of the words used by the Trade had, ho said, been "faked" in Australia by the omission of all reference to liquor.