REMARKABLE CONSIDERATIONS.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2729, 25 March 1916, Page 14

REMARKABLE CONSIDERATIONS.

Sir.—Tholearnod and unlearned Prohibitionists assert that the greater the consumption of liquor the greater will be drunkenness, poverty, and enmo. It is not often that this saying can bo given a complete and demonstrable ' denial. \ In your paper cablegrams have appeared stating that t'ao Drink Bill of Great Britain had enormously increased. While tho increase was 10} per cent, over all, there was an increase of *o per cont. in the value of the quantity consumed by tho individual. Without attempting to reconcile the figures of the United . Kingdom Alliance or national and individual increases, there has certainly been an increase in the national driuk bill of over sixteen millions sterling during 1915. With all this increased consumption there havo been extraordinary dccreas.es in drunkenness, crime, and poverty. On January 14, 1916, the. "Times (weekly edition) said: ''There wero only seven prisoners for trial at the Middlesex sessions on Saturday as compared with 93 last year, and'3ls6 seven, years ago."—' - l r or tho first time in 50 years there wero no prisoners for trial at Devon, Quarterly Soseions last woefc, and the chairman. Lord Coleridge, was presented with a pair of white gloves.' Middlesex' is a restricted prua; Devon is not. The same paper, January 21, 1916, stated: "Thero was a.marked decrease of crime in Nottinghamshire last year. Drunkenness casea wero fewer by 370." —"The number .of people proceeded against for drunkenness last year in MJS.I- - was 5174, compared with 8484 in 1914." —"For the first. time in 45 years there were no prisoners at the Berkshire Resizes held at Redding last week," ' Thus it appears that all over England tho decrease of drunkenness and crime has synchronised with an .extraordinary increase in tho drinking habits the, people. Indeed, as if'to facilitate tho consumption, the '"Times" says that wet "canteens have been established at most of the munition factories in Birmingham for the supply of refreshments to tho work peoplo day. and night." The Liverpool Licensing Bench, however, .took occasion to warn tho public against tho immediate effect of liquor restrictions. Thoy stated that "adequate steps should be taken to prevent the trade in intoxicants being diverted from publio-liouses, where it is under control and observation, to tho homes of tlio people. If this is not done," concludes the l Liverpool Magistrates, "serious results may arise." _

While there arc dangers in increasing restrictions* the facts stand, that an increased consumption of drink has Seen accompanied by decreases ill drunkenness and crime. What about poverty? More drink, more poverty is the stock cry of the Prohibitionist. Well, here he is wrong also. In its issue of December 31, 1914, reviewing tho poverty statistics of the year, the "Times" says there lias been "a remarkable diminution of poverty" of all kinds during tho year'; and the Drink Bill had liot been higher for many yean It is the war and prosperity. The U.K. Alliknco has done nothing to abate drinking, drunkenness, crime, and poverty; yet drinking lias increased, and all the evils which are supposed to follow in its train Imvh bewi lessened, and in' some places have altogether disappeared. In the light of these outstanding facts, the main plank of tho Prohibition platform has become a rotten reed. Sociologists are agreed that drinklias little if anything to do with the economic and 60ci&l conditions of a people. The main factor to improvement is continuous employment ' well paid. The- war has_ emphasised this factor in Great Britain, and as a consequence prosperity has sent the drink bill, up and drunkenness, crime, and poverty nave become vanishing quantities. So-called Temperance organisations Ilk© the U.K. Alliance are only, political hobbies for the self-advertisement of their supporters.—l am, etc., JURIST.,