SIX O'CLOCK CLOSING

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3143, 28 July 1917, Page 2

SIX O'CLOCK CLOSING

Sir,—"P.F." takes me to task. I do not object. Ho seems nettled because I drew a perfectly logical inference from the sentence quoted from his first, letter. Now, whether i't be dealt with under tho headiuß oT limited hours or prohibition matters not at all—tho crux of the whole subject is tho question, ".Does drinking decrease efficiency?" "P.F." answered this in the affirmative. &> do I. His proposition was. and is, that if prevented at night men will drink during tho day when they should bo at work. Very likely somo will; but most will not. unless their employers are more foolish than 1 tako them to lw. Can it bo supposed for a moment that tho aggregate drinking of the community will be as great as at present if hotels are closed at six? Certainly not. If it will be, then why the outcry about reducing llio takings of the bars? On tho testimony of everyone who knows anything about it, drinking decreases efficiency; therefore, in the name of common sense, who not decrease drinking instead? There is little use attempting to discuss what is happening in England in this matter. We aro not—at all events lam not—sufficiently acquainted with all the facts. Without doubt tho Old Country has accomplished a great deal in diminishing liquor consumption, and it was high time.—l am, etc., BIUTTICTS. July 21