THEY CAN’T EXPLAIN THIS AWAY.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 August 1922, Page 3

THEY CAN’T EXPLAIN THIS AWAY.

DEMOCRACY'S DECISION. In a democratic country votes talk, and when they have spoken there is no doubt about what they mean. Now .ask the New,Zealand liquor traffic how it is that, in the U.S.A., In the States that went dry before National Prohibition, the people, after trying it, voted to keep Prohibition by increasing majorities. Here are some of the vote® that show that the voting majority like hibition:—ARIZONA Y ? Dry majority, 1914 3.144 Dry majority, 1916 12,000 Increase in dry majority . 8,856 COLORADO. !.•,<- Dry majority, 1914 ' 11,572 Dry majority, 1918 •••«■-' 85,792 Increase in dry majority ....sra 74,220 MICHIGAN. Dry majority, 1916 68,624 Dry majority, 1919 206,936 Increase in dry majority 138,312 OREGON. Dry majority, 1914 ... 36,480 | Dry majority, 1916 54,626 {lncrease in dry majority 18,146 OHIO. (Dry majority, 1918 25,759 Dry majority, 1920 290,141 Increase in majority 264,382 WASHINGTON. Dry majority, 1914 18,632 Dry majority, 1916 215’036 Increase in dry majority 196’404 When we get New Zealand prohibition we shall find the same results. People find out, when the liquor traffic is abolished, that a wasteful,, unmitigated nuisance has been removed. Once they have tasted the benefits of Prohibition, no amount of lying and yelling by the liquor interests can befool the people into voting it back again. Prohibition is just common-sense.

THEFT OF A “V.C ” No need to mention his name. Soifee will know him when”it is said known throughoiit the New Zealand Division as “a wonderful soldier.” He deserved the description. Gallant, tenacious. full of resource, saving life at the risk of his own, holding on against unimaginable odds when wounded, full of self-sacrifice .and devotion. Is it any wonder that he was recommended for the ‘W.C./’ coveted distinction of al! decorations? And then, at the last moment, it was stolen from him, snatched so to speak, from his very hands. Who was guilty of this unnameahle theft? The liquor traffic—yes. just that. For the hero got drunk, and his officers had regretfully to withdraw the recommendation. But for drink, he would have had his rf V.C.” But for drink he would be living at liberty, an honored life. To-day | he is undergoing reformative treatment because of crimes committed | by him. of which ho had no knowledge, but committed by him whilst udder the ! influence of drink. This was a man Gen- ! eral Richardson delighted to honor. The liquor traffic is appealing to returned soldiers- to “hold fast to liberty,” to vote for it. Let us hope they will vote for Liberty from the soul-less profiteering liquor traffic: liberty for thousands from the tyranny of drink; liberty for comrades like “a wonderful soldier.” The liquor.traffic lives for profits only. “PUSSYFOOT.” No doubt many of our friends would read with pleasure, the announcement in the Press notifying Mr. W. E. (Pussyfoot) Johnson’s forthcomine visit to New Zealand. We have little doubt that his visit will he profoundly beneficial. It will be hard to find a man who carries a world-wide renown sb modestly as does Mr. Johnson. There is probably no man living so thoroughly informed on every aspect of the liquor question, tfls appeal is to the reason even more than to emotions. His case- is founded on ■ facts, and he has the facts at his fingers' ends, so to speak. The change in public sentiment towards him in Great Britain has been remarkable. It pleases the liquor interests there, as well as here, to picture him as an interfering busybody occupied in the interests of '‘fanatics.” Friends and foes alike in New Zealand will, we believe, learn from actual contact with him that Mr. Johnson does not force himself on anybody. He comes at the express invitation of the New Zealand Alliance, which feels, indeed, deeply indebted to the World League Against for making his visit possible. That league represents 21 federated countries engaged in the world-wide struggle against alcoholism. Mr. Johnson is head of the London offices of the league. He has travelled far. in its interests, most recently in India K and we shall esteem it a privilege to welcome him when he lands on our shores. EDUCATION REPORT NO. 13. IS ALCOHOL A FOOD? A food may be defined as any substance s’hich. when absorbed into the blood, will nourish, repair waste, and furnish heat and energy to the body without causing injury to any of its parts or functional activity. When alcohol is taken it is rapidly absorbed into the circulation and distributed to the different organs in the body. Only one-fifth or one-hundredth part of the alcohol so absorbed is excreted as such from the body. The residue, however, does not remain long in the body, for in fifteen to twenty-four hours after a dose has been taken the whole of it will have disappeared completely. Its destruction begins as soon as it reaches the blood, and this is brought about by its being oxidised into carbonic-acid gas and water, which pass out in the breath and urine. Just as in the case of the o.vidation of carbohydrate and fatty nutriment, heat and energy are generated by this oxidation of alcohol. Alcohol fails to fulfil the conditions of a food by its incapacity to nourish the body: and, although it behaves as a Juel in the production of heat and energy, it cannot bp stored as reserve fuel material. Although the combustion of alcohol in the body produces heat and energy, and in this way spares the bodytissues. especially fat, and although «for very short periods the body-weight may be maintained on alcohol alone, yet its food value in this respect is trivial and unimportant. When it is stated that I alcohol is a food the meaning of the | "jscxl” has b««n specially narrow- j

ed down to include alcohol and certain other less important substances. Only in a partial and restricted sense can alcohol be regarded as a food. Moreover, no one takes alcohol for its food value. Certain alcoholic beverages, however, such as beer and stout, have a food value, whlth is due # to the sugar they contain rather than the alcohol. (Published by Arrangement with the Taranaki Prohibition Council Publicity.)