Y.M.C.A. HUTS FOR WET CANTEENS.

White Ribbon, Volume 22, Issue 263, 18 May 1917, Page 11

Y.M.C.A. HUTS FOR WET CANTEENS.

The Liquor Trade in England, not satisfied with running wet canteens in camps, has now made a start to commandeer the huts of the Y.M.C.A. for its own use. These huts arc subscribed for by those who love our soldiers, and are run as .1 counter-attrac-tion to the wet canteen. They provide a place vs he re the boys can go and read and write, and get hot tea and cocoa, etc. But when boys don't get drunk the regimental funds suffer. The profits of wet canteens go to these funds. And again, the old story, liquor must be sold, even if soldiers are ruined. It is almost incredible, and yet the “British Wee kly” records the fact that one hut has been taken, and Lord Derby, when interviewed, gave a very weak reply. Surely we will not submit to this. We have allowed wet canteens to be placed in our camps in England, though we forbid them in our own Dominion. Are We going now to allow this arrogant trade to banish the Y.M.C.A. from the camps, because it tries to keep the boys from the wet canteen ? Here is a Government i*hich preaches efficiency to win the war, whose leader acknowledges Drink as the cause of inefficiency; and yet they not only allow liquor to he sold at camps, hut are going to allow the only place where boys can get non-alco-holic refreshment to be snatched away and used for alcohol. Mothers have subscribed for these huts to help their boys, and are they to be used to assist in their ruin ? It would be a screaming farce if it were not so grim a tragedy.