MR. MACK'S REPLY TO MR. KENNEDY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 1, 23 September 1918, Page 6

MR. MACK'S REPLY TO MR. KENNEDY

Sir,—ln your morning's issue MrKennedy returns to tlfe charge on tlia liquor question and State control, Buys that "the leading names iiftiho Labour movement have given their ,idhesion to State purchase, and State control." He quotes Philip SnowdeiA. 1 have heard Philip Snowden speak en', the liquor question. And I am sure; that Lloyd George, J. J!. Clyjies, 01: Philip Snowden would not feel flattered if they knew that their names* 'were heing used by Labour men in tliia. country to support the Honor interest.. But let us get nearer home. Mr.. M'Combs. Labour M.P., resigned thai Labour Party because of its nttitnfU' on this question, and the Hon. J. TPaul. president of the New Zealand! Labour Party, has declared for 'Proliibition without compensation or timet limit. Does he deny that these a relending men in the Labour movement r' Mr. Kennedy should be the last man. 1 , to complain nf tho Russian Revolution.. I have -.he.nrd some of his associates; sneak of it as the "brightest star in. the firmament of the world to-day." Surely if flic suppression of vodka has; produced that, you ought to be delighted. But the fact is. Mr. Kennedy, that vodka degraded tlio people and! kept them in icniorancc ■. (educationists iell us that 80 per cent, of <henv. cannot read or write), until, like a. child reaching out of the window^ after a butterfly, reached so far that it fell to the ground and was crushed. Russia was broken because the people did not know that political strength was a condition precedent to economic or social reform. They followed their leaders not kiiowrtuc wha_t a repubho meant, and are now paying tho penalty. Through education alone will come social reform. Suppress tho liquor traffic and snend_ one ouorter of the money on education, and then we' will soon have an 'educated democracy which will demand arm obtain those reforms which are needed so much for the .comfort and woll-bclUg ofthep S ople.-lam ; etc.^ ■ September 19.