WAR NECESSITIES COMMITTEE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2711, 4 March 1916, Page 6

WAR NECESSITIES COMMITTEE

PROGRESS OF CAMPAIGN. -'A-generarmeeMne of the War Neces- ; : . sitles' Committee was held in the' Town j.■" Hall yesterday afternoon .to discuss . matters in connection with the._wet.can'teens and early closing of hotels, movev" merit. Mrs. Salmond occupied,'! tfre !•:. '. chair and thero were also present.,the v. , Countess of Glasgow, Mrs; 'fe-Hadfiekl, ' . . Mrsi\ Rankine Brown,' Mrs. Joseph : Joseph, Airs. Walter Nathan, Mrs. C.' Earle, Mrs. J. Darling, Mrs, J. Myers, Mrs. R. Pearson, Mrs. H; :Kirkcaldie, i Mrs. Firth, and Mr. A.; Crawford. (. lii opening tlie meeting Mrs. Sali snond gave.a.brief resume of what had • pecn dono since their last meeting. Ciri Sulars, with an appended press report • V .the proceedings in connection with I ilic' formation of the AVar Necessities' (Committee, together with forms for fill- ! lug in' signatures, had been prepared for distribution, 'aud' in' sending these ' to the different societies and organisa- ' tions it was thought desirable to ask - for' the individual signatures •of meinbers, not for that of the various bodies as a whole. Those circulars had, in some directions, been misconstrued. '• ' I,otters of sympathy with the aims of tho committee bad been received from 'some well-known citizens, and with one r- part of their objective—that of'tho'wel canteens —the Moderate League, whicli £ had been approached for support, liac announced itself as being in full sympathy with. In addition to sending the circulars and forms to different societies for -tihe individual signatures ol : .their members, Mrs. Salmond though! they sho'uld be distributed to privat< !■' - people as well. A letter from tho sec. : rotary of the Women's National Res' serve had been received promising the - ' assistance of six \of their members foi ' clerical assistance by Monday. _ In dis ; : cussing the circulars the committee ha<' ' announced itself as boing 'determined tt ' ' stand unitedly for their platform, viz. ' (1) Wet canteens in tho military oampi '■ ' 'during the period of the war; (2) earlj ! -closing of hotel bars in the Wellingtot Military District, from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m during the period of the ,uar. Mrs ! ' Salmond pointed out that in regard t< wet canteens, they were only asking tha r men used to alcoholic refreshment shotih ' have it under, military control. No: were they asking the soldiers .to givi

up more than the, man in the street. We may pos,sibly have placet! too much confidence ill the persona) patriotism of citizens in asking them to make this sacrifice, but if so, then their blood will be upon their own . heads. Everyone had read in tho Press -Lord. Kitchener's statement that the cr-sis that tho nation had now vacncd was ono of extreme gravity, and *11 patiictic citizens had been asked to make t-lieir sacriliccs and help to increase tT:o economy of tho nation. "Let us also, like the Australians at Anzac, say 'New Zealand will bo there.'" (Applause.) . It was agreed that the circulars should ' be widely distributed and that as many people as possible should bo asked to assist in the matter. Mrs. H. A. Kirkcaldie said tbi-t the Christchuroh "Press" had given a great deal of support to f/he movement although it was not a Prohibition paper. : Sho quoted the following extract from a leading article appearing in, tho "Press" on February 25;— "The early closing- of hotel bar 3 is a question which we believe will . soon, liavo, to faced seriously by the Government and . the public. We do not think it is possible that the existing facilities for obtaining drink 111 'Wellington can lead to anything oven remotely resembling the disgraceful outbreak of soldiers 'on ■strike' in Sydney the other day. ,but wo" do" believe that if thoso facilities were greatly reduced it would be an excellent thing for our •• soldiers and for the nation. When it was proposed that wet canteens should be established at the niilitary camps, the Government, surrendering to the pressure of an -.extremist' section of the public, decided that it would be better to, ■ let the* men. oh, leave go into Well-'- : ington to drink and be 'shouted for' just as they and their misguided - friends might- choose. There is no .reason why our-soldiers should be ' altogether deprived of their beer, ' . but it hardly- needs to be demonstrated that'on grounds of pro- : priety and efficiency drunkenness amongst .soldiers should not occur, and should bo made as nearly an impossibility as restrictive measures can achieve." Another extract from the Christchurch •'Press" which Mrs. Kirkcaldie read emphasised the character of the movement: "The Wellington ladies who havo set on foot the 'movement for earlier , closing are not doing bo as 'Prohibi- '* . tionists; tliat will be made evident to people outside Wellington'by the - fact that they are also urging the . : establishment, of wet canteens in ' the military camps. They represent , what is, we believe, the weight of public opinion in Wellington, and ; the Government will not be likely; " to make any mistake upon this ' point.. 'The conditions which -havei led to the Wellington ■movement do ■ not, of course, exist in (Jhrist"church; the Christchurch liotels are; not a menace to our soldiers.-... But behind, the concern of many people for our troops, there is a strong feeling, which is perhaps growing. stronger as time passes, that too much'money is being spent on drink by "the general public. This is not " to say that the 'drink hill' is" increasing, or that drunkenness is increasing. The consumption of alcoholic liquor, however,- is. one of tho things which ought to bo restricted in time of _ war on grounds of economy, and it seems , to us'that in view of the fact that ■ the liquor trade and the Prohibitionists wiU both seek to score some sort of .'victory, the. Moderate.,, League,.might,- with advantage take a hand in the. controversy." ; Mrs. Rankine Brown proposed that a deputation to the Government should, tako placo at as early a date, in March 15 would be convenient to the Mrs. Darling the motion, and the proposal was carried by the meeting. ■ The Countess of Glasgow spoke of the success which, according to all reports, had attended the institution of wet canteens in the militarv camps in Great Britain. "On all-hands the-mili-tary authorities had pronounced them ais being very-gratifying in their results. As a matter of fact, the ,liquor restrictions that ;hadl been brought in had been' brought in for the benefit of the munition .makers principally, not for the soldiers. • ■ ■ Sirs. H. A. Kirkcaldie was appointed lion, treasurer to the committee. METHODIST CONFERENCE RESOLUTIONS Auckland, March 3: ' At the Methodist Conference a. resolution was passed calling npon the Government to legislate so that "shouting" should be inado illegal, and that nil hotel bars should be closed at C p.m; The conference passed a motion, -urging upon ministers and Sunday school workers the necessity for reviving the interest of young people in the Band of Hope-movement. i •■-■"-PUBLIC OPINION THE NEW ZEALAND' ALLIANCE. (To the Editor.) Sir, —This disturbing organisation has again come'into the open. It lias been endeavouring to create mischief by stirring up animosities between different sections; of'the community. Tho verdict"- 7 -oFT;tlio - people in December, • 1914, when' tlie war was in its darkest hour, was overwhelmingly against the. objects ofi the ; Alliance. It has waited officially ' upon- Ministers of the Crown since to induce them to make alterations in the law against the will of the people, arid endeavoured to move Parliament last session "to tho same purpose. These efforts; of, the Alliance to disturb the peace of -the community upon a question 'buried "by"the people have resulted in failure, as they deserved. '. Now. that a movement is afoot to establish "wot canteens and put hotels out of bounds to soldiers after seven o'clock, the Alliance comes into the arena with a. series of resolutions, and a speech by the Rev. W.- J. G'omrie against the establishment of the wet canteen. The Alliance objects, in its first resolution, to wet canteens, as they are "opposed to military discipline and efficiency." Biit later tho Rev. AY. J. Comrie, in supporting this says: "It is'quite true that in Britain and in Egypt the' wet- canteen is in the camps." ■ - Our, soldiers_ go to Egypt. Did tho ' wet"" canteen interfere. with their discipline and efficiency? No. Did the wet canteens of Great Britain interfere ■-■with" the discipline and efficiency of' British troops at Mons and the Mavno? No. What is tho;use ol a resolution that the chairman of the Alliance admits is not in accordancc ivith fact and practice? The. next, resolution is asking "the Government to follow tho example oi the military authorities at Home." Well, the military authorities established the wot canteen in Egypt, ir Britain, and in all regulars' camps The military authorities sends -regulai supplies of beer and rum and spirits tc our soldiers at the front. Not tin Government, but the Control Board set up wet canteens in munition factorie: for the convenience of the workers a 1 Home. -But the New Zealand Allianci asks the Government to follow the ex Ample;,.of. tho military authorities al Home in one breath, and in the next il deplores what the British military au Cliorities have done. What is the us< of objecting to -wot canteens and thoi saying leavo the question to the mili r.ary authorities? General Maxwel opened wet canteens in Egypt, to sav< the men from using the vile decoction: oi that country and help discipline am efficiency in all. ranks. There- wouli be more efficiency and greater discip line here if we provided wet canteen

or soldiers. If the.v got a regular iupp'ly daily thoy would \ not be no liliey to over-indulge when they came to ofvn. The Rev. Sir. Cormio ought to uiow that the depriving men ot legitiliato acts is the host stimulant to ex'oss in such acts, when such men get Tie chance. That is human nature. In its third resolution the Alliance igam casts odium upon the : military mtliorities, whom it says it trusts, by rclerrjng, to. . alcoholic beverages. as jeing in the present crisis "tho worst mcmy' fn all these causes." Sir. Ijloyd George thought so top. He said Irink was a worse enemy to us than Sormaiiy. but he had to take all that laclc. 'His next proposal was to malcc ho State the sole proprietor of all ciis:ill"vTes, breweries, and hotels, and he iia'S to take that "Track, too. A'll tie :litl was harmless, for it led to an in,rcased Drink Bill for Great Britain and a greater increased revenue to the state.. If is quite true that Russia tfDolishsd _ Hie State monopoly of vodka, but it imposed fresh, taxes upon other, commodities, including beers and wines, which are more freely drunk in Russia than in New Zealand. ' Franco abolished absinthe sides, but beers and wines are as free as ever. The defenders of Verdun—one of the most glorious Feats of the war —have their daily supply of red wine, as havo all tho soldiers ,of France. • ,As for saving money, tho people of Neif Zealand'have saved .more money since the war'began'in. proportion'to its population than Russia; fttul here +hs )>eople have had tio interference with llieir s'ponding power. Taking the Alliance's deliverance altogether, it is illtimed, misleading, oud contradictory.— I am, et«i.,' TRUTH. . SOME SALIENT POINTS. (To the Editor.) ' Sir,—The ladies who are* working for wet canteens are in agreement with Archbishop Carr, of Melbourne, who is a strong supporter of wet canteens for soldiers under military supervision. Where the wet oanteen is. and it is in all British soldier camps, hotels within so many miles of the camps are put out of bounds. Why not adopt this method.in New Zealand? The Moderate League's questions to the Minister of Defence are reasonable. Some correspondents think Mr. Allen ought not.to answer them.. What harm can there he in saying, if it is truo, that the drunkenness of our soldiers in camp is interfering' with their efficiency, and that the Minister considers drunkenness so prevalent among soldiers that drastic measures are necessary. If it is not true, then there is no necessity for interference. It is a pity that any 0110 soldier should cross the border between indulgence and over-indulgence,-but are all soldiers to bo prevented from the temperate use of. liquors because of one ? If the women would take a plebiscite of the soldierß in the camps, and be prepared to! stand by their decision, I think the people generally would be satisfied. • The Minister of. Defence has the matter in his own hands. Let him establish wet canteens ill camp if he likes mid put hotels out of bounds to all soldiers.' The soldier is a strange man. f-T.o is .prowl'.to fight for Empire and liberty and civilisation; but ho* feels degraded when it is asserted, by «omo that lie is incapable of being entrusted ivith bis. own liberty at cortain hours af the day. Some people fear disturbMiees if our soldiein are put upon too much. •The ouostion is: Has the usual hours af hotels interfered with tlio soWWly spirit.' patriotism, ■, fiiditing qualities, and efficiency of our soldiers in the past or at the present? A corrosoondent says the question.is: What is best for [)ur soldiers?. The answer to that ouestion has been given by the establishment of wet canteens in Egypt and all over fireat Britain for the benefit of our soldiers. The military authorities' hnve done that, and the military authorities are the host' judges—not women, not Prohibitionists, not publicans, not parsons, not moderates, but the military men.. Lord Kitchener became a total abstainer himself for tho War period as an oxample. lint he sent nf; a first instalment 160,000 gallons r>f rum' to tlw British troops fiehtinc. in France. : General .Toffre issued an ardor that no- private individual should suniilv liouor to.soldiers, hut ho supplies the French soldiers with one litre of wine per day all over France. The Kintr, as one of your correspondents notes. -took the pledge for' the war neriod, but. lie was compelled to lirenk it heoauso he was falling into ill-health rind losing in weieht, and be did no*denrive his brave troous of their usual d.i'lv s'upplv. Leave |his -matter *o the military. Trust ,tho sold'"''s. —T nm etc., " SINCERE. CANTEENS. (To the Editor.) Sir,—Several correspondents, whose experience cannot be of a very wide character, advocate wet canteens for our soldiers. Apart from those who havo a financial interest in pushing liquor into camps, there arc a few tiersons who, no doubt, honestly belidvo that w'et canteens are. desirable, and i*. is to .these that I would utter a word o! warning. . " I believe the majority of our boys aro quite content with the present-day canteens. While, the liquor is not easily obtainable, they are glad enough to do without it, but if it is brought within the camp they will, liko too many civilians, in town, take more than is good for theni- Unfortimatelv, many young laids who hitherto have been abstainers, on donning the King's Uniform and becoming associated with older men of drinking habits, drinking, in some ease's with very dire results. In tho United States Army dry canteens are universal, and in the Navy no grog rations 'are supplied. We expect tho British .soldiers and sailors to be as up-ti-date as tl'ei'' American cousins. "Booze" should be no nnrt of a soldier',s equipment. Doctors who now advocate liquor, own 'for medio"! purposes, belong generally, to the old school, and are a fast-vanishing ouantit.v. Our great Ally, France, should he a warning to us in a matter of this kind. She lias passed t.lirnurrh a terrible ordenl owing to tlie widely-spread habit of drilling absinthe, whose most harmful ingredient is alcohol. It may surprise most of your readers to learn that it was first introduced into France bv tho Armv. About tho year 1 S'lo the French military doctors prescribed nbsintho for th» soldiers vim wore serving hi tho war' France had then in hnnd. The habit thus acoiiired bv tho soldiers gradually spread throiurhout the civilian population, ivifch most disastrous results. So bad did it become that soon after the present war started, the sale of this particular drink was absoluMv orohibitcd. Franco has paid a terrible heavy . toll in the shape of tens of thousands of mined lives, all through the mistaken, though well-meaniiur. action on the part of the medical faculty .of the last ceiltury. Let us not run any similar risks by oncourap;ing drinking habits among our bovs.—l am. etc., "PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE."