NATIONAL INTERESTS AND THE LIQUOR TRADE
Sir,—Soon after our new Town Hall was opojicd, ilr. L, ill. lsitt, now M.P. lor Cliristcliurcli North, when speaking Ihoro on the lirnior question, raid in so lining words that ho would feci the greatest nnxiety for England if she becanio embroiled in n European war. Mr. .lsitt, who is recognised as a foremost authority on the drink question, had just returned from a prolonged stay in tho Old Country, and it was owing to what ho had seen of the inroads the drink evil was working at Homo that .ed lum to speak as he did. On this occasion, as ou many, others Mr. lsitt was surely posatssed with a prophetic insight. His feo (B lmvo been more than justified during the present awful conflict. Tho den larations by Admirals Beatty and Jot icoe, Lloyd George, ICitchonor, Sir Vict |r llorsley, and other authorities, give emphasis to jili. leitt's statement, the 1 ist-named going; so far as to say, in a ie/tor written ou tho field or oattlo just before he laid down his life, that most of our military blunders were duo to the rnra rations. Yet, in faco of facts lit those, Mr. Maasey coolly says ho will ntt give Parliament a lead on the six o'clock proposal, nor will he make the queslion a party one. Have wo no statement left? On another occasion another public man uttered a similar prophecy to Mr. Isitt'a. 1 roMr to Lord Kosflbory'n striking declaration that if England did not throttlo the liguor traffic the liritior traffic would throttlo England. Striking evidenco as to the truth of Lord Rosebnry's prophecy is being daily furnished by cable messages from tho Old Country. The present Premier, Mr. Lloyd George—one of tho strongest of leaders—has had to practically confcss his inability to control the trade and its malign influence. Because of the brutalised appetites of many workers his Government has to yield to the demand for more guzzle, and a corresponding reduction in efficiency. 'To what a pass has the proud British Cabinet come! No drunkenn&s, no work, and Lloyd George has to surrender. One wonders fometinies if a nation so governed should not insist on absolute prohibition of tho vilo trade during tho war. If the Government would do this, matters would soon como to a head, and the liquor interests—both at Home and in the colonics—would learn that tho demands of the Kmpiro are of more moment than even the consorvhtion -of their ill-gotten plunder.—l am, etc., EMPIRE FIRST.
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Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3143, 28 July 1917, Page 2
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424NATIONAL INTERESTS AND THE LIQUOR TRADE Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3143, 28 July 1917, Page 2
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