GROCERY SALE

White Ribbon, Volume 19, Issue 6, 1 July 1947, Page 9

GROCERY SALE

Gradually the Ontario campaign for grocery sale of beer is taking form, it began in whispered rumours. Then ft was set tortli as the climax and conclusion of a brewer’s booklet that was widely circulated. Finally it was openly sponsored by a powerful morning newspaper that leans in the wet direction. It will not be surprising it grocery sale is vigorously advocated by private members and possiblv sponsored by the government at the next session of the Ontario Legislature. Stranger things have happened. Why is grocery sale of beer and wine especially dangerous? It makes another industry an ally and partner in the liquor business, it familiarizes women and children with purchasing drink and classifies it a.*> a food instead of a drug, it leads to drinking on credit —in Ireland many a grocery sale of beer was entered as cheese, and the auditors marvelled at the extent of the cheese consumption. Worst of all, it leads to home drinking and children arc indirectly taught that drinking is a normal custom. Many grocers would refuse to sell beer. 1 hey want to have nothing to do with it. Other grocers who sec easy money to be made through a larger percentage of profits than on other goods, in the long run will discover that money spent on drink reduces spending power for staple groceries. Beer selling groceries may expect to forfeit the custom ot families deeply concerned to have Canada become a sober nation. —“The Temperance Advocate.”