CORRESPONDENCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1413, 19 June 1915, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

(To the Editor). Sir. — Will you kindly permit me, through your paper, to say a word or two in reference to lire letter of “Woolwich Infant,’’ which appeared in yonr last issue, drawing attention to ruy discourse on Sunday 7 night last on “The War and the L'quor Traffi:.” I have read tbe letter with pleasure, and am grateful for the interest vour correspondent has manifested and the word of appreciation expressed. It is quite evident to me that on the main issues of the subject mentioned above we are in perfect accord, perhaps the only disagreement being on the magnitude of the evil which has prevailed. It I am not mistaken your correspondent considers tha, I am magnifying, while I feel that he may be minimising, the danger which has presented itself to the nation. Lest any of your readers, Mr Editor, who were not present to hear the discourse should receive a wrong impression, let me state that I set out to prove that tne ravages of The Trade compare very favourably with the ravages of war, and therefore was an enemy of mankind in time of peace as well as war. I next contended that the liquor traffic decreased the efficiency of the army and navy of the Empire, and quoted some of the highest military and naval authorities to' prove my position. Then, sir, in tbe light of recent revelations, I sought to show that it was impossible to confute the argument that the liquor traffic had decreased the efficiency of a section of the workers at Home, which had resulted in an inadequate supply of the munitions of war. This evil was so serious, and the danger to our land and sea power so grave, that some of tbe greatest British statesmen were compelled to give the matter their undivided time and attention. The slackness, resulting chiefly from the effects of the Trade, which gave the Home Government so great concern, and tbe commanders of the Fleet and leaders of the Army such serious anxiety, should be of paramount importance to us here. All honour is due to the men at Home, who are working sixty hours and upwards week’y compared with the normal forty eight hours. I agree gladly with “Woolwich Infant” that the patriotism and loyalty ol the great bulk of the British workmen at Home and abroad is unparalleled in history, because their services are of a voluntary nature, and not dominated by a military ctste. But there have been men in certain areas in England who have been doing less than an ordinary week’s work under normal conditions, and they have been suffi ciently numerous to increase the risk of Ihe brave tel'ows on active service. They any be ‘‘wasters’’ as your correspondent suggests, but many of them never would have been wasters but for the deadly commodity which has enslaved them. Let it he understood that I have no quarrel with the worker. It is because I have always championed his cause and beeu Iris personal Irieud that I have a great quarrel with the traffic, which is the workers’ greatest enemy. May I slate, in conclusion, and in fairness to the source of some of iny information last Sunday, that no quotations were given from “certain Australian sources which are governed by enterprising Yankee firms.” The extracts from newspaper reports which were read to the audieuce were direct cables from London, dated April 29 11 a•, to the Press Association in New Zealand, and therefore ought to be received as genuine, and not cum rano sal is. Thanking you, Mr Editor, for your valuable space,—l am, etc., ; Wm. Rowe. : Methodist Parsonage, Foxton.