THE LOGIC OF "SILAS STARK"

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 205, 18 May 1918, Page 8

THE LOGIC OF "SILAS STARK"

Sir,—"Silas Stark" is in the dark; hs missed the mark. He states that "if Prohibitionists had had their way iu England we,should have been unable to manufacture alcohol for high explosives." If Prohibitionists in Germany had had their way Germany cnuld not have manufactured high explosives either. These nations would have alcohol, and, like tha boy and the wasp they have got all they want.

Kot of barley,- rot of corn, Thut'6 where alcohol is born-

To his rotten nature true, To rot is all that he can do,

Mr. Lloyd George. must have been "balmy" if the remarks attributed to him about) the "silver bullet" are true, for last year Great Britain's drink bill was about .€180,000,000, to which we must add the retailers' profit, which brings the amount up to about i' 100,000,000, to say nothing of the- loss through "lambing down," and she reaped in return a crop of poverty, disease,' and crime. It is moro correct to say that the maa who drinks a glass of beer provides a "silver bullet" to destroy and defeat his own country. Russia M-day is reaping' what she has 60wn. The best book in the world tells us that the "wicked shall be turned into hell." Where is Russia to-day? Tha frightful happenings in that country ara. the direct result of her idolatrous practices (ExoduS 31, 13, 14). If it is good business; to spend thousands of millions nt the,mouth of the river it is surely tetter business to spend a few hundred thousand at its source. The Hanawatu liacing Club may, have given ,£50,000 of its - profits to patriotic purposes, but if "sport" is one of the factors bringing' this calamity upon us, .£'50,000 is a mera' drop in the buc\et, and it is up to them, to give it and more besides. "Sport" is mainly responsible for the flagrant viola-, tion of the Tenth Commandment, and' is therefore responsible for one-tenth of our tribulation. God says that "if w® will not do His Commandments, then all theso curses shall come upon thee, and' overtake thee" (Deut. 28, 15), and 1 coin-; mend the whole chapter, especially verses 49-51, to "Silas Stark" and his friends.— V am, etc., JOHN PLOWMAN. •