THE "VICE" OF SMOKING

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 71, 17 December 1919, Page 5

THE "VICE" OF SMOKING

INTERESTING i!EI[AI(KS BY A , , JUDGE .Prisoners who came up for sentence in the Sunrcmo Court, and especially those who have records, Apparently make studies of the temperament 'of the Jmlces. They know, ov think they know, that what woula' appeal to one imlse to ensure leniency may produce n totally diilorrnt result on' another. The "old hands'' seldom, if ever, seek the assistance ot counsel, knowing full well that, the "record'' is against them, and so they prepare "statements," and sonio of these are masterpieces of camouUhsc. In the Supreme Court yesterday a nrisoner in his statement sai<i that; he was not uuilty of any vice except r;mokine. and His Honour, Mr. Justice Edwards, who sentence on the prisoner. said: "You say you aie not guilty of anv vice except smoking. I have yet to learn that smoking is "« vice. I admit. that I have heard it doscrihed as a vice, but there arc so many of us addicted to the iiractice. including mvscif, that I certainly hesitate to say if' is a vice. Like everything eke, Ginokinir may easily become a vice, and so might the use of lea. hut the of tobacco i:i moderation I cannot look upon as a vire. I do think, however, it is very harmful to smoke cigarettes and inhale the smoke, but there are reasonable ways Of smokinE."