DRINK AND WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2941, 29 November 1916, Page 4

DRINK AND WAR

Sir,—As hearing on tho question of supplying drink to tho soldiers, as referred to in the Presbyterian Assembly and' reported in to-day's Domimok, the following striking letter from the pen of tho lato Sir Victor Horsley will be of interest. The doctor died from a heat stroke on July 20 while serving the Army in Mesopotamia, so that the letter will be among tho last ho wrote. — I am, etc., READER. . (Enclosure.) "Force D, Mesopotamia, "May 13, 1916. "Dear Mr. Fraser, — "I am _ extremely obliged to you for your military poster. It ought to bo in tho offico of every minister and official respcmsiblo for carrying on tho war. This is to my mind the most distressing part of these campaigns. Tho directors of military operations aro practically all whisky drinkers, and therefore wish the soldiers to drink, too. Out hero in this torrid climate they actually still issue rum instead of food and sterilo water, and as a result wo now have cholera, dysentery, and diarrhoea to contend with. Anyone would suppose that no military medical history had. over .been written or published. Our gross failures'and stupidity aro, in my opinion, due to the whisky affecting the intellectual organs and clearness of our. leaders. Of course they do not realiso that alcohol in small doses acts as a brake on their brains; if they did, they would havo sufficient loyalty to follow their King's cxamplol Fancy to yourself tho position. The. King is tho head of tho Army; as ho went teetotal for national safety, overy military mess ought to havo followed him. Not ono did! It is a repulsive exhibition of selfishness and luxurious treachery to our country. "Yours sincerely, (Sgd:) VICTOR HORSLEY, "Col. A.M.S. "Consultant (Surg.) to H.M. Forces." PRESBYTERIANS AND PROHIBITION (Sir,—Tbo findiegs of the Presbyterian parsons on the Prohibition question aro amusing. Take them in their order:— , 1. "Express gratification at tho continuance of the dry canteens in the military camps." - ' , Tho amusing point about this is that tho Rev. J. -Gomrie informed tho Assembly that "ruin rations 'wero being given out in botli camps." General Godley was ordered to institute wet canteens for our men when they got to Egypt. Our men'hare wet canteens on Salisbury- Plain, and "wet" rations at the 'front.. Indeed, tho Young Men's Christian Association, in its appeal for money, tells how a soldier lived for the first time when after forty-eight hours m a dug-out lie "breakfasted on hard-boiled eggs, some bread, and neat whisky." ]t must be confessed that the gratification of Presbyterian' parsons in the light cf facts is not only amusing—it is laughable. 2. "Express approval of the antishouting law," etc. This is the law that induces plainclothes policemen to trap unwary women into breaking the law, and then informing on them, theso unsuspecting women.aro deprived of their usual service for livelihood for six months. Tho unmorality of such proceedings ought to havo tho condemnation, not the gratification, of those who assume moral altitudes in the communifiy. 3. "Urgo our people to continue agitation for early closing, and tho reduction'of tho three-fifths majority on tho referendum." From a Presbyterian viewpoint this finding is also very funny. These men, as professed lovers of peace, would not promote peaco in the community in which they flivej but they urgo "our people" to continue an agitation that was defeated by "our peoplo's" representatives. Is this a time'for "peace lovers" to promote internal disagreement and strivings? They also call for a less than three-fifths majority when it is someone else's business that is under consideration; but if a ministor got a less than a three-fifths majority of tho members in his support, the Presbytery would not sanction "the call." It's quite a good joko to hear about democratic ministers trusting a "bare majority" for other people's business with ono breath, and insisting on a three-fifths majority for their own, with the next. 4. "Commend the work of the Band of Hope," etc. Where is tho Presbyterian Church to-day with a Band of Hopo organisation? Tho principle of the Band of Hopo is moral suasion. Tho principlo of tho Presbyterian parsons is the arm of the law and tho power of its might to compel men and women to bo Prohibitionists. Is it any wonder that Dr. Gibb shonld complain that pulpits aro empty, pews aro vacant, and parsons have a slender hold upon tho people generally? To promote Temperance, just one Christian virtue, fhe parson preaches compulsion by Prohibition, thereby conceding in effect that if we have enough prohibitory laws wo need neither churches nor parsons.—l am, etc.. J. KNOX, JUN 11. ENLIST NOW Sir,—Will you allow mo spaco in your columns ro military enlistments and signed "An Old 1 Sport"? In his opinion, all single men should be called up first; Well, sir, that is what they aro doing at present, but I would like to point out to "An Old Sport" that singlo men havo their homo tios as well as married men. Ho says ho has volunteered to servo when necessary. Now, sir, if men aro not necessary at present, then goodness knows when thoy will bo, and if "An Old Sport" is ns game as he makes out to be, why does ho not go himself, and not wait for other men to go ahoad of him. The Main Body had a fair proportion of married men, and I have never