TEMPERANCE COLUMN.

Waipa Post, Volume I, Issue 40, 1 September 1911, Page 4

TEMPERANCE COLUMN.

(This column is the property oj the Waikato No-License League, and we are in no way responsible for the opinions expressed. — Ed. W.P.J

PROFESSOR MILLS ON ALCOHOLISM.

On Sunday, afternoon, July 23'rd, in the Opera House, Auckland, Professor Mills, from Milwaukee, America, at present organiser for the United Labour Party, before a large audience, gave an address on the above subject. Mr Mills was of opinion that the use of alcoholic

liquors was largely owing to the fact that it had been the custom of centuries, and that to refuse a drink was looked upon as a personal affront, because of social custom. And this by people who did not care for the liquor as such, but just drifted into the habit, which ere long got a grip / of them that they could not easily shake off. Alcohol, like opium and morphia, creates a demand for further gratification. It is the nature of these drugs : to capture the whole man; when they secure that dominion, there is no lie the victim will not tell, or crime he will not commit, to gratify his appetite. DEFINITE CONCLUSIONS have been reached by

searching experiments,pursued by scientific men, uninfluenced'by any of accurate scientific research. It is demonstrated party cry or by any election appeal, but the result beyond a shadow of doubt that ALCOHOL IS NOT A FOOD. All growing bodies demand food for sustenance and development, but alcohol cannot give it. It is equally true that alcohol is not a stimulant. There was a time when Temperanceadvocatesused to say that alcohol was a stimulant, but they don't say so now. It used to be thought that under the influence of alcohol, you could draw on to-morrow, and use the surplus now. But you can't. The extra strength you use, you use it now;

YOU PAY FOR IT NOW. Stimulus, a something to quicken my power; to increase my ability!. Does alcohol do it ? No, it has not the power. Careful experiments have been made with smiths, by scientific men. They have tried the strength of blow, the accuracy of aim; and always the use of alcohol, even a single

glass, was injurious. So withthelinotype,a machine most trying to the operator. The machinist had the im-

pression that he was doingbetter work with a little liquor, but in every case it was found detrimental. His work was less efficient, and the proof-reader had a much more difficult task. WHAT IS ALCOHOL? If alcohol is not a food, nor a stimulant, what is it ? Some say a medicine. Not so ! It's a drug that renders no medicinal service. Alcohol does not drive out microbes, as some would have us think. Microbes are comparatively harmless unless they find good accommodation within — and this liquor provides. True, it makes the heart beat quicker, but why? Simply that it may expel the intruder into the healthy body. Let a great heat wave come along ; who goes down first ? The heavy drinker. Who goes second ? The drinker. Who is rarely affected ? The abstainer,