THE CABLEGRAM AND THE LIQUOR QUESTION

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2854, 19 August 1916, Page 7

THE CABLEGRAM AND THE LIQUOR QUESTION

Sir, —Varying statements made, by the cable man <;owcoriiiii{s the liquor question have attracted my, attention. As recently us .Tunc l\ there came the startling 'intelligence "that notwithstandinj; the. restriction on tho liquor traffic in England, the salo of spirits as compared with the year preceding tho war showed an increase of over tliroo million gallons." In contradiction of this yon published a cablegram dated from London, August 11, which stated lltaD during the past four months the consumption of "spirits decreased by :1J million gallons, as compared with "10 corresponding ! period of IMS." Is it possible for liolli of tbese statements to bo correct? Not only was there that decrease in spirits, but there was a decrease in the Knglish consumption of beer by lj million gallons, as recorded by cablegram on August 11; but six days later we have- a further statement by the

cable'mail on the liquor question, and lie points out dint the "National War .Savings Coinmlttoc? states that the naliou is spending 182 millions on drink, and, a]>|>cals for a reduction in view of (.he urgunL need for economy." Mow, Sir, it is apparent that the cable man has not been adequaiely instructed, lie has shown n decrease in the consumption of liquor at ono data, and he has shown an iiKTWiGU at another; and then he quotes a statement of the National War Savings Committee as if that statement, warn iwv -Mid origiiial, whereas before he made the first announcement concerning the increase in the consumption he sent out the intelligence lust April that the liquor hill ! of Great Britain for 3915 was £181,959,000, which was an increase of nearly 17} millions sterling for the year. While, this increased drink hill was largely due to the increased duty, so that the actual consumption of liquor per head of the population had but slightly increased, there' had been ft remarkable decrease of nearly 60 per cent, of capes of drunkenness; and i'nrlhcr evidence of the . striking decrease in the convictions for drunkenness is given hy the cable man on August Ift, although four diiyft iflcrwards he announces what is regarded us a ''staggering total" of one hundred and eighty-two millions sterling spent in liquor. All these facts, sir, do not justily us in coming to any definite, conclusion concerning the liquor consumption jn Great Jlritaru, as to the social benefits or otherwise that have resulted lroni comparative State control of the liquor business. Before sociologists can derive any real satisfaction from the results o reent restrictions and State control in tlreat Hriraih, a trial of these conditions would have to bo given under normal circumstances. It may he worth while noting hero the enormous consumption in Groat Britain, and the startling increase, qf tea, coffee, cocoa, and so-oallod soft drinks. In 1914. before Mr. Lloyd George had caught tho "elusive toolotaller," 11112,843,682 wore spent on these commodities. But during a full year of war the consumers of these commodities bad become more extravagant, and the total recorded for 1915 .tus £119,062,249, showing that tho "elusive teetotaller" was even more extravagant comparatively than. _ his lirother the beer-drinker and spiritcunsumer. Looking at these liguros, sir, I hava como to the conclusion that lur the teetotaller to blamo his •"modern to brother for drinking too much is to givo another reading of llic old ndago which has referenco to the pot calling tho kotfclo black. The cable man has enlightened us, however, upon one subject—the French wine crop—which must bo very gratifying to allthpso who wish our great and self-sacrificing Ally prosperity. Ho states that this crop will amount to 45,000,000 hectolitres, which is equal to about ono thousand million gallons of wino. Considering the ravages of the German barbarjans, tiis is a pleasing and gratifying prospect to tho French people, whose prosperity as a nation to a largo extent depends upon tho prosperity of Hieir vigucrons.---I am, etc., P'.N.