An Attack on Freedom

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2500, 31 October 1922, Page 1 (Supplement)

An Attack on Freedom

If Prohibition is carried the freedom Of the individual is doomed. We shall „ be on the same level as the uneducated and oppressed citizen of nearly 900 t years ago. Through the centuries bloody fights, glorious -victories and severe defeats have marked the struggle for British freedom. To-day we are face ! to face with a proposal fit only to rank ■with such despotic impositions a s the Curfew-bell of the time of William the Conqueror. i At eight o’clock every evening the ringing of the Curfew hell was the signal for the compulsory extinguishing of all fixes and lights, to prevent damage by fire to-the wooden buildings of that time. To this monstrous act of tyranny the unenlighten- . ed of that day tamely submitted. Shall we in Nenv Zealand do the same?" j might set your house on fire: A you must put out your lights,” clanged the Curfew bell. “You might make a pig of yourself and get drunk: drink who,ll be abolished,” dictates- Prohibition. s ■ The Spirit of Tyranny. Where is there any fundamental difference? Both are drastic and unreafomable, both ( are branded with the malevolent eprrit of tyranny. ( To this \ * day Sn a few : English villages itibe Curfew bell is still rung every evening, a reminder of “the had; old days” when individual freedom was the privilege

One of the Prize Essays:

By C.A. (Hawkes Bay.)

of only the rich, and strong. I contend that Prohibition, though advocated by many wed-meaning but mistaken people, is an attempt to legislate for fools, long since conceded as impossible. It sometimes happens that men ano mined through horse racing: then prohibit racing. Men often gamble over oards and billiards, then abolish both. Where will such acts of oppression stop? Every other amusement, innocent in itself, will come under this blight 'of suppression. Where is our 6elf respect? Are we going to vote for such a monstrous measure? Has not/ the average British citizen sufficient self respect and self control to steer dear of drunkenness without having a law to enforce decent behaviour? . Such a law is doomed to failure, because laws will never create true self control or self respect. To vote for Prohibition appears to me equivalent to an admission of the degeneracy of the British race. . A Piece of Foliy. The Prohibitionist points to the misery, to the ruined homes due (he claims) to the curse of drink. He argues that drink runs hand in’hand with crime. Surely it is clear that excessive drinking ia the effect, not the caiuse. Hie cause is lack of self control, which vis bound to out, and does out in drunkenness; moreover, it will continue to out -in immorality, drug-taking, or 1 secret consumption of. poisonous liquors j if Prohibition! becomes law. If Pro- 1 hibition is carried thousands will —in the time to gome—rue the day they were persuaded to vote for it; goner-

ations unborn will stand aghast at such a monumental piece of folly. It would be a weakness\to conclude without some indication of a universal cure for drunkenness. The successful doctor tries always to remove the cause of a complaint: a' superficial treatment of effects of disease would brand him an incompetent. If a man has self control and 6elf respect it ia certain he will not become a drunkard; the lack of theso qualities then, is the CAUSE, indicating WEAK CHARACTER. It is the Character that must bo strengthened. . Enlightened Legislation Wanted. Here is unlimited scope for enlightened legislation. Good education, housing improvements in large centres: healthy environment Both physical and moral: cheap, popular, and healthy amusements for all after the day’s work is done: and finally, in every city, town, and village of New Zealand the greatest encouragement to be given to dean, healthy sport. Mental fitness develops best where there is . physical excellence. Clean sport and games breed self respect and self control, two essentials to make a “whole man.”. If I voted for Prohibition I would feel that I wore sacrificing freedom—self respect—and self control upon which were built the foundations of the British Empire. I would feel untrue “to fihd traditions of the British . race ; untrue to the thousands of heroes who have sacrificed their lives far the 6ake of freedom and made our Empire what it is.