WIN THE WAR AND DRINK

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

WIN THE WAR AND DRINK

Sir,—Much is being said of late about the drink ovil, and many arguments are ciuoted against the use of drink. As a returned discharged soldier ami a nondrinker I would ask the favour of » little apace in your columns to eivo my humble and sincere view to the public. X left New Zealand with the Alain Body, landed in Gallipoli on the memorable 25th April, took part in Jhe charge over the daisy patch at Capo Helles, and was eventually wounded on August 8 at Chunuk Bair. I was wounded in four places and as many as seven bullets woro extracted from my body. A. wounded companion . attempted to dress my wounds; he did the best ho could, considering he was wounded, and we w'ere both under heavy fire. Being hit in both legs, and iu tlie stomach, as well as in tne arm, -I was obliged to laywhere 1 was from early morning till shortly before midnight. Lying under the boiling heat of a Gallipoli sun all day, . . . with no water to compensate for my loss of blood, and added to this the crisp, oold ftir of the night, my power of resistance was severely shaken, so that towards midnight I had lapsed into .1 semi-unconscious condition. In this state my rescuer, who was a chaplain, found me. My pulse was still beating, and this must have determined him .to stay with me. After a few minutes he got rao to raise my head to take a drink. It was a drink of brandy from the medical supply, and which 1 swallowed with difficulty. It was a small drink, but a timely one, which soon revived me, after which he had mo removed to tlio base hospital. Had this good padre not given me that stimuUnt I am convinced that nothing would have saved my life. In all probability, had I been left alone until the early hours of that cold morning of August 6, my bones would now be bleaching on the bare .and unhospitable slopes of Chunuk Hair; for surely, when found, I must have been on tlio borderland of eternity. . . .

Thanks to our Rood chaplain and thanks especially to the medical Authorities who provided him with that precious flask of brandy, I am alive to-day, and getting on bo well that I hope soon again to give up my civil duties, and respond onco more to the sail o£ my country. I write this letter to help to 6oothe the consciences of a certain section of the people of New Zealand, who seem to think that alcohol in any shape or form is a sort of leprous devil that vitiates every tendency for good in man. The Royal Army Medical Corps ia recognised as the most efficient medical nnit in the world, and anyone who has been through an 'Imperial hospital will recognise the importance attached to the discriminate use of alcohol, winch is often an effective and much loss' injurious stimulant than morphia. Those people who seem lo have developed their views on the use of drink into a sort of fanaticism, would do well to considpr that alcohol is an evil only in its abuse, and, as it seems to me, if we are going to win tho war on a sideissue. of this nature, wo can win sooner by preaching temperance rather than by that violence to human nature—prohibition.—l am, etc., PAHIATUA RETURNED SOLDIER.