WOMEN AND THE LIQUOR QUESTION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 299, 6 September 1918, Page 2

WOMEN AND THE LIQUOR QUESTION

LECTURE BY MB. JAMES SIMPSON

Yesterday evening a lecturo to women and girls upon tile subject of t,he liquor question was given at tho Y.W.C.A. by Air. James prohibition pampaigner from Oiuiuda. Mrs. K. .Pearson presided, and introduced | ilio speaker to his audience. In the courso of his address 'Mr. Simpson compared tho position ,of woman, with all the vast opportunities opomng out before her in the world today, aud with all the responsibilities that her enlarged field of labour meant, with that occupied by woman in the iiot-very-distaut pact, when it was considered that tho home, and the homo alone, was her sphere. Her advent into tho industrial and commercial world meant that a now attitude had to be taken in regard to the conditions that ruled in whatever field of labour she took np if the welfare of tho raeo were to be considered, also that her views and ideals should bo represented in the laws of the land. Already somo of the provinces.in Canada were Betiding women into their Legislatures. Alberta had one woman representative, and so had British Columbia, and Mr. Simpson expressed the opinion that it would not be.long before the other provinces followed-suit. As those present know, there was a. woman sitting in ■ tho United States' Congress. To limit a womiu's place in the world to-day to the home only was absurd when there were so miuiy questions bearing directly upon her interests and those of her children'to be dealt with. It had been a 'very great grief to tho womon oS Canada that the franchise had cbme to them too late to enable thorn to take a direct] part in voting for prohibition, but indirectly-they had taken an immense' part in working for that reform. If women were interested in the welfare of their nation; if they were interested in tho welfare of their children, they could not possibly hold back from .working for the abolition of the liquor traffic. -Even before birth it laid its curse upon the children, and, realising its effects upon them,:'upon the home, and the homo environment, women should have an added passion in sweeping tho.traffic, out of existence. Only when the environment of childhood expressed our highest conceptions could a nation have the kind of boy and girl which it was desirable to have. To have public houses about, with all their attendant temptations, was to have a continual menace to our boys and girls. , The attitude ,of many of the leading medioal authorities in the world today in regard to the effect of alcohol upon tho human system was referred to by Mr. Simpson. In Canada a medical organisation, representing _120,000 medical men, had declared against alcohol, holding that it was not only detrimental as a beverage, hut also when used for medicinal purposes. In tho athletic world to-day, men who wished to achieve good results recognised that they had to keep their bodies free from alcohol. Men like the lato Lord Koborts, Earl Kitchener, and other eminent' soldiers who had made a oloso study- of its effects upon soldiers had declared their belief in total abstention from alcoholic liquors, as-they undoubtedly impaired their powers of endurance. Men like Sir Victor Horsley, Dr. Reeves, and others had declared again6t rum rations for soldiers, and yet in the face of what theso eminent authorities, who had export knowledge to go upon, had said, tho British war authorities had insisted upon issuing rum rations. Turning to America, Mr. Simpson said there was a country that was sending ovor to France her tons of thousands of young mon, soldiers who had been {rained without the help of liquor aw! who were fighting side by side with British without liquor, and yet were not failing in their powors of ondurance because thoy were abstainers. And recently some of the' newspapers in England that had been upholders of the vested interests of liquor had been sending over their editors and writers to investigate and see for themselves how this American army of abstainers were bearing themselves in the' supreme test of endurance and courage that was going on in France and Belgium. To-<jay New Zealand was faced with a great opportunity of remoulding the conditions of life. We wore 1 inly glimpsing democracy as yet, and the vote was but a means of bringing it about. What was perfectly sure was that we could not hove that democracy if wo allowed interests to dominate the country. Looking at tho question Srom tine economic, pemt oi y\ew alone, New Zealand with her rapidlyincreasing lv.itionoV cou\A not aßotil to let such ail evil remain in her midst. I Only recently, in somo &g\wos were given of offences against the lavs ol tho ixnintry, out of S7OD offences 7600 were due to drink. And in the new | world that was coming, when; efficiency was to be the' keynote of life, drink I would not bring about that efficiency, In conclusion, Mr. Simpson .said that ha was very proud that Canada with l\cr eight millions of people had fought for and won Prohibition, and from tbi Pacific coast to the Atlantic, hud swept the breweries and dist/l/eries out <•( existence. And from July 1 next the whole of the American Continent, witl its 113 millions of people, would be free from the drink evil. ,

A.' hearty vote of thanks was passed to tho speaker for his most interesting address.

At the Salvation Army Citadel last evening the spring fair was,continued. A large crowd was present, and was entertained by the Rov. Archibald Hunt, who brought the following artists with him: Misses AVilson and Stanley and Messrs. Wood and Fielding. Tho elocutionary items by Mr. Hunt and the various songs 1 by his party brought forth unstinted applause from the audience. _ The, fair will • bo brought to a conclusion to-night, when Mr. J. G. 1 Turner's mandoline orchestra will render items, and the Scotcli songsters and Citadel Male Chorus will support witli songs, solos, etc. It is anticipated that the fair will he a record one, the proceeds 1 being towards the SeK-Denial Fund, v '

Superfluous hair is destroyed without pain or disflguremont by HUSSIA (Reg'd.). A lady writes that a friend who used RUSMA with complete success six years ago has not been troubled witli superfluous hair 6inco, Originals of testimonials may be seen. Correspondenco or 1 personal interviews invited. Mrs. Hullen, Cotirtenay Place, opposite Tram Terminus (upstairs). Dept.;]). ■'Phone 1017.—Advt. Preparations that creep into your existence, with instructions so simply told they cling to the memory! Tim Jfilsom' preparations ore renowned for the Hair and Face. No advance in prices, All Hairwork. Correspondenco invited from those who cannot cnll. Miss Milsom, 94 AViilis Stroet. 'Phono 814.—Advt. You want a neat, smart Suit for your boy. Soe our splendid range of Sports Suits at prices ranging from 255. to 50s. Goo. IWlde, Ltd., Manners Streot.-Advt.