TEMPERANCE AND THE WAR.

White Ribbon, Volume 20, Issue 234, 18 December 1914, Page 14

TEMPERANCE AND THE WAR.

(Hy Mis- Agnes Slack.) From every part of England 1 am receiving letters asking how the sale of intoxicants can lx* best lessened during this serious time. Our country is engaged in the* greatest war the world has known, and is facing the most serious crisis our nation has known during the- last ioo years. The National British Women's Temperance Assoc iation i- urging our

1(15,000 members to us? even effort to show tha» the expenditure in alcohol is a criminal waste; it has no

food value. Lord Kitchener’s appeal to our soldiers to abstain from wine indicates a new era in British warfare. The highest physical and mental fitness is attained by teetotallers.

Native princes in India questioned me about the alcoholism of Great Britain, and pointed out the teaching c*f their religion prohibited it. Canada, Australia, New Zealand; every part of our Empire is giving us a lead on this question, and our wonderful Imperial Army w ill endure as no army has previously done, large ly owing to its enforced tcetotalism. The 8.W.T.A., through its branches, is urging chief constables on city, borough, or county, hy deputations or petitions, and the* Licensing Bench, to take action. On September qth, at the Thames Police Court, the number of charges for drunkenness was reduced from 78 on the previous day to 26, owing to the earlier dosing just adopted in that area. We are urging the distribution of temperance drink- and water tc. troops passing through railway stations. Our nation gives ,£1,000,000 in one week to the Prince of Wales’ Relief Eund, but tl.e Nation wastes £ 5,0cx),0.»0 every w eek on intoxicating drinks. 1 am greatly cheered by the article in the “Times” on September 21, showing so clearly th.it our Allied Army have clean hands. Their march is not signalised by ‘‘myriads of empty bottles.” Russia has given the whole world an example. Never in history has any country taken such a great stand in prohibiting the sale of spirituous liquor- and beer throughout its immense domains. It is good for us to realise, owing to the work of Tempt ranee Societies and the* enormous advance of scientific experiments, that for the time in history, 011 the side of the Allies, this is a teetotal war. Our men are being taught that their eyesight, aim, and power of endurance can be* best maintained by entire absence from all intoxicants. I -aw on Waggon Hill (Ladysmith), on the bare, stony veldt, a hug * narrow trench, in which were buried so many men of the* Manche-ter Regiment. This trench is enclosed by a barbed wire fence. At the end a monument gives the long list of

names of the men; and has an inscription as follows: —“Take heed all ye who pass by. We died fighting for our countr), for whose cause we cheerfully gave our lives and died content.” What makes our men now cheerfully “give up their lives’ 5 i What is it? What are the thoughts flickering before them as they face death in those trenches? Some of them must lie face upturned to the great silent sky, as they sink away into the vastness of eternity. Our army is composed entirely of volunteer men. Not one man there fights under compulsion. The greatest secret of this wonderful fighting power is they know for what they are fighting—for freedom—for justice for happy homes- for Children for a liberty-giving, just country, with great ideals; something we call Kngland. This makes men go into battle not driven there by bayonets ; but freely giving their lives lor love of country. Let our nation at home' every man and woman, take their share in fighting our great home foe, and in resolutely, at any rate during the war time, in the name of truest patriotism, cease to waste money and strength on intoxicants. The great test of every life must always be self-sacrifice here iies truest love of country. AGXKS K. SLACK.