LICENSING ELECTIONS.

Evening Star, Issue 13123, 2 December 1908, Page 2

LICENSING ELECTIONS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir.—“ Tourist” in last night’s ‘Star’ suggests that the Liquor and No-license parties should have paid their funds to the hospital m place of literature distribution. It may be true as regards the liquor-sellers, whose trado is the_ cause of .so much charitable aid and hospital expenditure, but not so as regards the reformers. Leading authorities agree that the largest portion of our police, gaol, hospital, and charitable aid cost is traceable to the alcoholic habit; hence reformers are going for the tap-root, and intend to stop the growth. “ Tourist.” perhaps, like Harold Skimpole. does not worry. His letter denotes the superficial observer, or he- would recognise on the one hand an effete trade fighting hard in its dying struggles; on the other, the reformers who through years of contumely have stuck to their cause. The public conscience. partly aroused, cries out for reform, to educate and guide which the Press, pulpit,,literature (and as much of it as possible) is needed. It is a hime task to make the callous and indifferent 0 think to develop the instinct of brotherhood’ shake the heavy mass of British habit and conservatism, and, more than all. face the hostility of such a powerful trade : but it has been done. True, some have invested their all in the liquor business, knowing it was a gamble, but calculating on prudent management to stem the ride of change long enough to recoup their outlay with interest. To-day we find them 'willing to agree to various kinds of restrictions to get a few more years of grace. These concessions. supplemented by large expenditure on advertising, literature, etc., they hope will gain their object. In justice "to the hotelkeepers, they only use the methods of other business men to push their trade along; the vast difference is tho article they sell. On a visit to the manufacturing centres of Britain, I saw liquor bars for the exclusive use of women. These places at lunch hour and evening were crowded with girls and women from the clothing factories, weaving sheds, etc.—an enormous downward slide since I left England originally some years ago. The children at those women are shrunken mentally and physically; in fact, it is one of the standing menaces of Britain to-day—the decadence of physique in town dwellers, caused by tho use of stimulants and narcotics. We are not bo bad here yet, but it is only because the reform party have put on' the brake.—l am, etc., Trust the People. December 1.