THE TEST.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 779, 27 October 1922, Page 4

THE TEST.

(By J. W. Olpherl, M.A., F.R.E.S:)

The national utility of any industry must ever be judged by results. If it confers upon the community some material benefit; if it increases the comfort and health of the people: if it enriches the heart- or enobles the mind: if it enlarges or enobles the human welfare and happiness, ehtn it has sufficient not only to justify its existence but also to merit its extension. But judged by this eternal test, what can be said of the results of the Liquor Traffic? It costs the people £7,500,000 per annum. Id. 1920 it rushed 5195 distinct persons into the arms of the law for drunkenness; it caused 1440 of these to be charged with other offences: it carried into hospitals 339 persons suffering from alcoholism, 17 of these died; it banished 64 people to menta lhospitals; it hurried into State welfare institutions 86 children because either their mothers or their fathers or both were too drunken to look after them; last year it caused 113 prosectuions for selling liquor to youths under 2.1 years: it helped to effect an increase of 265 convictions for failing to maintain wives and families:' it caused an increase of 51 convictions for sellingliqiior after closing hours; an increase of 70 convictions for supplying, persons under 21 years: and an ineerase of 307 convictions for being on licensed .premises after hours. In the face of these evil results what good word can*be said of the Liquor Traffic? It squeezes into -the- coffers of the State £1,300,000. and with a grin Cliffs into its own pocket £6,000,000 per anum. It finds employment for a number of people but pays the poorest wages of any industry in the country. It takes your good money and then insults you by telling you you’ll become a dope fiend if Prohibtion is carried. Well, ask yourself if it increases your happiness or the real happiness of your home. Does it make you a more efficient worker? Does it increase the efficiency of the country? Does it make you larger in heart or purer in mind? Does it make you or the country rictier? Isits continuance essential to the future efficiency, health, wealth, prosperity and'happiness of the country? The Liquor Traffic in name, in nature, in function and in effects is associated with tiie vilest and most inhuman things which ever debased human society ar*l sent men hurtling into the guttbr and the grave. It is the close associate of the Slave Traffic, the Opium'Traffic, and the White Slave Traffic. You- can no more regulate it than you can regulate a mad dog. The'only way lo deal with it is to kill it, and the sooner the better:*'