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Evening Star, Issue 15915, 22 September 1915, Page 4

A COIUIESI'ONBENT directs our attention to what lie (.oils "those A Reprehensible "wickedly thoughtless Custom. "people who treat our "soldiers to drink." We regret that the charge in far too many instance.* is true,.and as the men who are guilty of this most .reprehensible custom are, in the -majority of cases, as void of common sense as they are of rational patriotism, appeals to them through the medium of the. Press are not likely to effect a thorough reform. To say that this too common custom is as umiec'es-sa-ry and as meaningless as it is mutually debasing is merely to repeat what has been said time and a&iin. Tn the Mother Land the "treating"' or '•shouting" evil has Jong been a scandal and an abomination; so much so. in fact, that the Government were compelled to ask for legal powers in order to meet- the evil, and within the last few days we are advised that the officer commanding the London district has requested the Liquor TrafficBoard to prohibit all " treating "' whatsoever within the metropolitan area. It would he a reflection upon the community if such legislation were found necessary in New Zealand, but if appeals to decency and reason fail, then the Xe\v Zealand Parliament might justify its continued existence as a- legislative body by endeavoring to provide against the continuance of -the danger. For the man who has no higher comprehension or better way of expressing his gratitude and hospitality than the banal request to "come and have a drink'' the most effective remedy possibly would be to make "•.-homing" for the men in khaki an offence. The "enemy's game" is being played quite disastrously enough by the enemy himself, without those who claim to 'be loyal patriots playing it for him as well.