THE PRICE GOES ON RISING

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32460, 21 November 1970, Page 16

THE PRICE GOES ON RISING

(By WHIM WHAM) “In Vietnam the figure (for drug-experienced United States servicemen, from an occasional puff of marijuana to heroin addiction) is almost certainly over 50 per cent now. In some units it is probably 70 to 80 per cent" . . . fiad grown to such proportions that there was no other way to stop it than to withdraw the forces from the country.—Vice-Admiral William Mack, head of a Pentagon (United States Defence Department) task force on drug abuse. Sir, how deplorable, if true! The Admiral spoke as if he knew, And can We doubt It, having heard A Pentagon Official’s Word? Drugs! What shall We do about Them, If We can’t fight our Wars without Them? Why can’t We burn, and kill, and maim, Undrugged? The military Game Seems to be getting a bad Name. Gone are the Days when Rum or Brandy Was what our Heroes found most handy, The English called this Courage ‘Dutch’, They needed it Themselves, as Much, Yokels, when drunk enough, were willing To join the Colours, take their shilling. The Press Gang too, in Nelson’s Day, Dragged its Recruits (dead drunk) away. Old-fashioned military Science, Not advertising its Reliance On Alcohol, approved the Stuff, Sufficient Liquor was Enough, But good Supplies were an essential Part of one’s military Potential. War multiplies a million Times Our civil Vices, civil Crimes: THIS War’s our Image, magnified Too big for Us to mask or hide. Drugged with political Deceit, Half-baked, half-principled, effete, Are We surprised? Can We deplore Such an Effect of such a War? One Whiff of Grass, between THEIR Youth And Moloch’s Image OURS in Truth The blazing Eye, the white-hot Tooth?