A REFORM PROPOSITION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3037, 6 November 1908, Page 5

A REFORM PROPOSITION.

(To the Editor). Sir,—When Mr T. E. Taylor visited Masterton he was greatly concerned on account of the drunkenness that exists throughout the Dominion, and his remedy is to put his contention briefly to substitute an unlicensed traffic for a licensed liquor trade. Well, Sir, in my opinion the proposition is a very poor one, and it would not live for forty-eight hours if it were dispassionately considered by the electors. For years past Mr Taylor has been trying to wipe out drunkenness with his pet remedy NoLicense, and with what result? Certainly not with a result that has appreciably benefited the Dominion. The Prohibitionist—and he is hopelessly in the wrong in the attitude that he adopts-will not consider the evil of drunkenness except from the standpoint of a No-License advocate. He does not wan f , any reform —he does not care to what extent known drunkenness may increase in licensed areas —because if the evil becomes worse he trusts to the people accepting his "remedy" without question. It is just here that the Prohibitiunist simply gives himself away -—he cannot stand that the wisdom or the advantages of No-Licenso should be questioned. He admits, that NoLicense is a partial failure, but declines to consider any other plan ot reform. Now we build a sanatoria for consumptives. We do all sorts of things for the medical comfort and proper attention of the people, but for the drunkard we do nothing. We allow him to suffer from his dreadful disease, and when it assumes an acute form we treat him with un- ] pardonable harshness and severity. We fine him and imprison him, and really torture him in different ways. The wonder is that we don't flog and hang him. Is our treatment of the drunkard sane conduct? Is it humane? Is it even desirable from a purely economical point of view? We fine and imprison the same drunkard again and again. Drink may be degrading the man's nature, and so are we. What drink does not do, we succeed in doing in' the most thoroughly brutal manner that is possible. Isn't that a record to be proud of? An achievement to make the faces of men glow with pride! Now, Sir, drunkenness is a disease that is curable. There are quite a number of well-known cures, and thousands upon thousands of successfully treated cases are on record. It is obvious what the State should do, but while the incessant clamour of the No-License party drowns all audible intelligent discussion of the question, the Government will do nothing, except leave the rival parties to fight like the proverbial "Kilkenny cats." The State should treat the disease of drunkenness seri-

ously, not severely, as it does now, and what a complete change for the better there would be! Every man arrested for drunkenness should be properly treated. Detained in a home for the cure of dipsomaniacs, for twelve months if necessary, he should be compelled to undergo an efficacious cure. He should be subjected to discipline, though not of a degrading character, and smartened up generally. It should be made clear to him that he has the sympathy of his fellow-men, that they show him their sympathy by thoroughly reforming him. Sir, I have no hesitation in saying that if the seriousness of the disease of drunkenness were firmly impressed upon the community by State action in the matter, that the diminution in the evils that arise from drink would be absolutely surprising, and very much greater, it goes without saying, than will ever be effected by 1 the No-License proposition.—l am, etc., REFORMER.

(To the Editor)

Sir, —No-License speakers have frequently told us that if man lived a natural life, intoxicating drink

would be unknown, and that its use is an abuse of nature. Very good. And if the No-License lecturer lived a natural life he would clothe himself with a girdle of dock leaves, and chase his dinner through the forest with a primitive weapon in the shape of a pointed stick, or at best with a bow and arrow. The truly natural life of a man is the life of a savage uncivilised person, who, instead of seeking a little mild excitement in an occasional beer or two, simply snares his enemy, or his friend as the case may be, gently taps him on the head with a club, and enjoys a plate of stew at. their next corroboree. The natural man (and he knows not beer) shuffles through the forest while the thorns prick his bare feet, till he arrives at the sea.shore, he shades his eyes with his hand and gazes across the unknown rolling ocean whose waves break and ripple and die at his feet. He knows not what is beyond and he has no means of finding out. . The natural man (and he has not been introduced to whisky) probably lives in a miserable shelter of leaves, or camps at the lee of a flax bush, or under a tree fern, and is content, and savage and unwashed, and mostly hungry, and generally a very poor sample of natures handiwork, who sits around in the sunshine and makes his several Mrs' work for him. The unnatural man, the man of art and invention, and progress, moulds to his will the forces of nature. He manufactures luxuries in food and clothing, he makes beer, wine and whisky. He has beautiful parks, gardens, colleges, museums and racecourses, he lays down bowlinggreens, and tennis courts, and golf links, he builds motor cars, and spins across the country, he constructs electric trams and express trains and rides in luxury and ease, he goes down to the sea in a big ocean liner and travels in a palatial cabin to far distant lands. He lives well and takes an odd whisky or wine or beer. He erects a telegraph line, and lays down a cable and flashes the news of the world around the earth, he insfcitates a telephone service and talks with his neighbour fifty or one hundred miles away, he invents a graphaphone and hears in his own home the voice of noted statesmen and singers and musicians, re-produced for his instruction or amusement. Ha sets the kinematograph to work and sees living pictures, that would frighten the life out of the average man in a state of nature. He builds a hospital for the sick and insane, he constitutes himself into a parliament and makes laws for the good and welfare of his fellow men, who, to-day rule the civilised world. The natural man, the uncivilised man, knows none of these things. The unnatural man, the man of art, who has reached the high position that he occupies to-day, through his inventions, his discoveries, and his industry, fids not wasted much time on intoxicating drink. So then there is nothing in a statement that using beer or whisky, or wine, is against nature. For the life of the average intelligent man to-day is against nature, his success is due to art. The art that produced amongst other* things, wine and beer, and whisky. —1 am, etc., A CIVILISED MAN.