CORRESPONDENCE "WAR SPIRITS"

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 12, 13 July 1918, Page 4

CORRESPONDENCE "WAR SPIRITS"

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir,—-I do not know tho line of business "Merchant" carries on, but I accept his statement that alcoholic liquors are of value as "high explosives Ito keep the enemy back." That being so, is it not a distinctly disloyal transaction to import such necessary war materials from Britain, .even if you brought the cases and casks out by"rafts, and did not use a cubic foot of shipping space, when tho existence of the Empire is hanging in the balance, and when munitions and men are so all-important? I do nob know whether "Merchant" will agree with me that the very alcoholic liquors that are so useful as high explosives in shells for the enemy are most disastrous when used as beverages by men and women. We see numerous examples of this in our own city from day to day, and have had some striding- examples within the past fortnight. And the New Zealand Times of this morning reports a striking case from Cartorton, concerning a man who tried rum as a remedy for influenza: "He had never touched liquor, but was advised to try a stiff glass of hot rum and cloves for his ailment, which was giving him a groat deal of trouble. He took the advice, and the rum, and in a few minutes went practically mad. The police had to be sent for, and to save him from injuring himself and others, he had to be tied hand and foot, and conveyed to the lockup. Strange to say, in about half an hour he became quite normal again. What became of the influenza we have not heard (says the Wairarapa Daily News)."

I urge that if "the stocks of alcohol and the means to make it saved England," or can save England, then the very last drop in stock and every power to make such should be used for munitions, and nothing else. On "Merchant's" showing, surely the men are unpatriotic who divert such a saviour of the Empire from its real and useful course to satisfy tho craving of an unnatural appetite or the greed for gain at such a cost to the nation. If all alcoholic liquors were used for munitions, then men could be saved from drunkenness, and the nation delivered from the enemy without the awful cost in manhood—fathers, husbands, sons. Then I call upon "Merchant," Prime Minister, Minister for Finance, Minister for Munitions, legislators, and people of every class to stop the business m alcoholic liquors -without a moment's delay.—l am, etc., JOHN DAWSON. 12th July. TO TUB EDITOR. Sir, —Working off personalities on to a nom-de-plume verges on tho impossible, but seems r to have landed this time. "Merchant's" letter, in this evening's edition, may prove that he knows all about the whisky business, and but little of anything else. Letters can be produced, recoived during the last few weeks, stating definitely that hardware and machinery 'goods are- held up in British ports, unable> to obtain shipments. . According to "Merchant," whisky has again saved England, seven years' stock of "alcoholic liquors" being made into high explosives to keep tho enemy back. At present a large percentage of Britain's food supply is being de-_ stroyed to make more alcohol, some of it coming to- New Zealand, and using up valuable shipping space in the process. Still, I-must confess to seeing tho question from adifferent view point, since reading "Merchant's" second letter. It appears that if Germany comes out on top by any chance in the Northern Hemisphere (say, because New Zealand drinks alcohol required for high explosives in England), then we New Zealanders will have enough alcohol in stock to manufacture large quantities of munitions; and Germany may meat her Waterloo in the South Pacific, through the patriotic foreeip'ht of "Merchant" and his band of fellow patriots,—l am, etc, B. G. DENTON. 10th July.