Page 4 Advertisements Column 2

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 69, 15 December 1919, Page 4

Refund Soldiers The National Prohibition Committee is sorry that it is necessary to appeal to you as Returned: Men, but there is' no alternative. The Liquor Trade is claiming that you practically belong to it, and that you will fight for its licenses, just as you fought for the nation's liberty overseas. The Trade has degraded your badge in its public posters —the badge which the public look on as a mark of your honourable service. They said that the moment your backs were turned, the P rohibition Party tried to stampede the Government into taking a vote while you were away. I ! Here are the Facte— | The proposal for a Poll was first made by the National Efficiency' Board. This Board was set up by the Government to decide what steps should be taken to promote efficiency in the country, while you were away fighting for it. It recommended that the Liquor Trade should be closed down as speedily as possible in the interests of the nation both in war and in peace.. The members of the Board were appointed by the Government solely because of their business ability. The Prohibition Party absolutely refused at first to agree to the Board's proposals, because of its life-long objection to Compensation. It finally agreed only because it believed it was serving the best interests of the country and the empire for which you were fighting. The Moderate League said that the Prohibition Party was doing its utmost to prevent the soldiers from getting a vote. At the same meeting which decided to agree to a Poll, a resoluition was passed making it a condition that the soldiers had a vote. This was submitted to the Government long before any representations were made either by the Moderate League or the Liquor Trade or any other body. The Prohibition Party's request that the soldiers should have a vote was publicly reported in the principal papers of the Dominion months before the Moderate League insert | ed their advertisement in the "New Zealander." | The Prohibition Party has not used your Badge in any way in this contest. It has refused to make you a shuttlecock between the Liquor Trade and itself. The Prohibition Party has never injured a Returned Man. The Trade asks you either to vote Continuance and let it carry on as at present, or to pay from £10,000,000 to £15,000,000 to the wealthy brewers and publicans (£4,500,000 to £6,000,000 of this J would be Compensation) for State Purchase. j , Did you get Compensation for going to the Front? Is the Repatriation Fund what it ought to be? The Prohibition Party is content to leave the decision of this 'great National question to your intelligence and your patriotism. . If the Liquor Trade is a good thing for the country, then vote . for it—it's your country. If it is the enemy of the nation, of men, and women, and I .•> children, then treat it as you did the Hun, and Wipe the Liquor Trade Out I GIVE PROHIBITION A TRIAL .. ___j==_-_=s gs=