THE DRINK PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2727, 23 March 1916, Page 7

THE DRINK PROBLEM

Sir,— Although realising that your columns have been used very much lately by various correspondents on tho abovo question—and that you have boon most generous to advocates of all parties and opinions—which causes one to hesitate before again venturing to write upon it, after much •thought, and careful rending of hotli sides and the so-called moderate aspect, the writer ventures upon this summary of Hie position. In snite of Hip excuses made, tb« reasons', etc., alleged, with all their

brauohiniis oil', ono numt vei\\ tmilb realise that it. m inMiossililo lo oloso one's oyw U> I'hoU. No one, I«'«'H of all ii TowpuriUH'o m voimto, Vi«li>*>« lo cast any slur upon H'« K 1 ' 1 . 1 '! 11 """jf who aro veiiltiriiM! all-cv.Mi Ilk' il»i>ll -lor our (rood imnw, «»<1 pi 1 "'] 11 ! 1 . Ihl '" bodies between us nil null our,dear oiien mul the most dreadful Inli; imii|Jiiiiilil<i .mi oiu'lli. All lionoiir to fhmn »i» ''» lluiv have, nii'l lot us "ever loi>y;l' •'« loii|V<is life l(i«la what »•;; ..we lo lliein. Then, while they nro sLill nmoii|.',iil "», is it not our pari, ,11ml duty to help; ami not. hinder, llicm? is 1.110 drink trailo helpiiii! t'fioni? J.«t "» houosll.V face facts. .. . No lionosi. poriinn can but. smlly «'lmil. that each ovouing in I own must,;ivo the' (\uswer. When iieople who nro not liinol-o toll mo of wlinl. thoy see, espeeiallv at 1110 lower cud ol l-lui town (1 am prepared lu support fins), w* question becomes simply this—not can i we trust our boys? bill. "How can wo best help them?" , Now, ;i oerlaiii class of mornlisls .irßim that « little teniptation i« ;i very good thing, in toiiKhoning t-ho ninrnl lilire, etc.. and no doubt they aro partly riiiht. But.where libra is woak-and how many of us arc-lhnre must bo a certain moasuro of prevention—just ns with children. All law ami ordjr rcsta on this. I want to ask tins question, especially of all so-called moderates: How coiild six o'clock closing bo injurious or inconvenient ? ' ' Tf tltoy reply, "Men would bo driven, perhaps,' to worse places," my answer is this: "The liolico Willi the hotel Aiixictv off their hands, would bo iar better'able to watoh the other places. . If tliov reply, "It would load to much secret drinkinc," f reply *lmt tho military authorities should bo able and competent to deal with that nspoct of the question. The so-called Moderate League, mentioned somethiim about ""'serious public inconvenience." In what way? A truly moderate man would bo perfectly a no to get what little liquor he needed before six o'clock. Where would the inconvenience come in? Truly moderate men do not want to meet in a bar and drink- for four hours. Such an excuse for keeping open is no reason, but, rubbish. The hotels should certainly not he closed against giving accommodation, t'heir legitimate nailing; no ono advocates this, but v-'hy one sot of men should .bo allowed lo keep retail establishments open ond'all others compelled to close, is. one of those curiosities ot business, which have something mysterious about them. . I am quite aware that the hotel business men tell us this: "Tho lodging or accommodation side of our business will not pay, without the bar trade. Well, the remedy is theirs. Anything more pitiful than tlrs—a man getting his board and lodging paid for him by .others, and more especially "by meirwho go to drink—can scarcely bo imagined. It is one of the meanest things going. If a man wants first-class accommodation and a twenty-course dinner, letlnm pay for it, and'if be has a, morsel of self-respect he will gladly do so. Tho Moderate I.eaguo has not yet declared itself openly—perhaps it is still collecting evidence, or, is there some other reason? If its members desire evidence, let them visit certain localities from S p.m. till 10.30, and they will easily get all they want. And let evcrv true moderate just look at the question in this light, "If I waut a drink I can havo it. It does mo 110 harm, but I'll gladly give it up for the i sake of the other fellow." This is not ■.compulsion, but self-denial, and it is tin's spirit which is goinc to wm us the war. The Bishop of London, inono of his great addresses, says of the K. or K. pledge, "I kociv it myself, and expect evcrv churchman in my diocose to keep it."'With thanks for space,—l am, etc., TRUE TEMPERANCE.