LORD DAWSON EXPOSES DRY LAWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 August 1927, Page 4

LORD DAWSON EXPOSES DRY LAWS.

WHY ENGLAND IS BECOMING MORE SOBER. HOUSE OF LORDS, July 21. Vigorous condemnation of prohibition, cordial approval' of the use oi alcohol in moderation, proof that the nation is becoming more sober, and an appreciation of the part played by modern women in bringing this about were all contained in a very striking speech made to-day by Lord Dawson ot Penn, the King’s physician. The debate took placo on the second reading of a Bill introduced by the Bishop of Liverpool before the Whitsun recess with the object of introducing local option in England and Wales—that is. of enabling the inhabitants ot localities to decide by vote whether the sale of drink in their area should be prohibited or of making regulations for limiting still further its sale.

Lord Dawson’s was the most vigorous condemnation of prohibition foi long heard in Parliament. That, aftei all, lie said, was the real issue. I'or a local community to have the power to say to individual citizens what they should or should not drink was so tyrannical a. policy that it could never receive popular support. Already we had an experience of v. hat prohibition on Sundays led to—-motor-coach parties setting out for the nearest “wot” town or, where that was too far away, people storing up liquor in their homes during the week so as to have “ a jolly day ” on Sunday.

It, was not likely that fermented liquors could ever he banished from civilised countries. They could bo made too icadily. There was hardly a country where llic materials for making them could not be found. Potatoes, pine-apples, and many other things could all 1.0 put into a- pot and turned into alcohol—poor liquor, truly, but certainly alcoholic liquor. W hat virtues could prohibition show to offset tile proved vices that it brought. in its train illicit stills, smuggling, bootlegging, and an undoubted increase of drinking among tne young of both sexes.-' “ You will see far less diunkeniiess in this country than in America. That is my personal observation.”

Let them all get away from the stale, threadbare ideas of local option and

prohibition

A steady increase in temperance was going on in this country to-day at an accelerated rate. Hue had only to go to the cinemas, to watch the Bank 1 lolidav crowds, to la* sure of that. INCREASED SOBRIETY. In proof of increasing national sobriety Lord Dawson gave the result of several inquiries that he himselt had made. In one, three years ago. statistics wore collected from a large group of popular restaurants, and it was found that 75 per cent, of customers drank - no alcohol ui all, and of the remainder three-quarters drank light wines or beer and one quarter spirits or port. Still tlie improvement went on. for to-day a similar inquiry at one largo restaurant showed that only 1. per cent of customers drank alcohol. Another inquiry conducted among IJIOO patients of the artisan and unskilled labour class in hospitals showed that of those under 85 years of age DO per cent wore either total abstainers or very moderate, drinkers, and 10 pci cent only “ imperfectly temperate.” Above the ages of .‘55 the percentages were 71.5 and 28.5 respectively. 1 1, really was an outrage to call thin a non-.sohor country. It was emphatically mil true. WOMEN’S COMPANIONS! 11 D. The increase in temperance had been produced by better bousing, by a widening of taste, by the greater companionship of women for men, and by the cultivation of physical fitness which now applied to all classes. Women by becoming themselves more athletic had encouraged that desire for physical fitness among men. Better than the duress proposed by the Bill before the House in promoting temperance would he better education, more chance for games and out-door life. T.ct health lectures lie given throughout the country—not lectures given bv fanatics who were always preaching tbo evil of ibis or that—but lectures b,v people who would say what the benefits of alcohol’ really were, and who would leach the people when alcohol was good and when it was had for them.

Thus would they appeal to the heart?-, and convictions of tho people and achieve far greater success in the campaign for temperance than by tlio provisions of the Bill. (Cheers. 1 ) The Bishop, of London and Lord Meston approved of tho Bill, but the Earl of Onslow, for the Government, refused to support it hecanso it raised so many controversial issues, and tho debate was again adjourned.—“ Daily Mail.”