PROHIBITION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 28 November 1922, Page 7

PROHIBITION

1 VDDRKSH JSV M U A. K. I ' ATKINSON I * | Mr A. B. Atkinson, President i>f the New Zealand Alliance addressed it large mending at the corner of Trafalgar Street ami Bridge Street on Saturday evening. In spite of malty hostile intermplions lie received on the whole a good hearing-, but towards the elope of tite questions following the address a considerable section of the crowd displayed a ha sly temper owing to (heir disapproval nf the speaker's criticisms on the local police administration. The tactful intervention of the police themselves saved a (heeling, which had been lively throughout and lasted two hours, from any serious consequence*.

Mr Atkinson said that it was tioi the publicans but the brewers that Ihe Prohibit ion bts Were fighting, bill even with the brewers they had no personal quarrel-. lie had himself known at least three' good brewers: one was dead—the late Mr T. J. Mararthy. of Wellington— the other two were Mr Arthur Myers, of Auckland, and Mr Duncan, of this city. It was a -pleasure to recognize tlit* high character and public spmt of such melt, hut the fact must not blind mm to the es .sentially evil character of the traffic. A hard hearted business man in Wellington ’said the other day that the reason why he had turned Prohibitionist was the number of lies told by the Trade. The Trade was certainly not' improving m that respect. Its present campaign was the worst of all. The statement that tiie Trade contributed £2, to the revenue was a props, palpable and deliberate misstatement of fact. The Trade’s largest contribution to the revenue was 'the £1,359.856 which it paid last year. The first 2 quarters of the current financial year hel inly yielded £642,160, which would make the total for the year £75,535 less. The proportion of the liquor revenue to the total revenue had steadily declined during the last 20 years, the percentages being as follows. 1902. 10.2; 1907, 9.2 ; 1912, 8.0; 1917, 5.0; 1922, 4.0. It was a case of “Going! Going! Going!” with the “Gone” to follow 7 next year. After liquor had been debited- with the £1,000.000, which was a moderate estimate for its direct cost in crime, disease, pauperism, etc., the balance to its credit -was reduced to less. than £360,000, say V 4 per cent, of the wholerevenue. This trifling amount would be made up a dozen limes over by the revenue derived from the division of the £12,000,000 spent on liquor to decent trades.. Labour would receive a ■great benefit from this division. Beer did veiy little for labour in comparison with other lending industries, as the following figures showed

Value Number of of Em- Wages Products, ployces. Paid. Browers and Malthou&es 1,463,000 1129 289,823 Furniture 1,238.000 2226 433.143 Boots, Shoes 1,496,000 2286 402,762 The amounts paid in wages out of every £IOO, added value produced, were as follows : x ' £ ' s d Breweries and Malt bouses 35 11 2 Boot and Shoe Factories ■ 67 10 . 5 Furniture and Ca-binctmaking 66 8 4 These figures showed a balance of 88 per cent, in favour of the dry industries as wage-payers. The diversion of capital from brewing lo other industries would increase, employment instead of unemployment and would give labour a much better share. The American: “cable crammers" had assisted the liquor trade to misrepresent America. There had really been no setback. California and Ohio had voted “dry” at the recent elections by majorities of 60,000 and 137,0i)0 respectively, which was a conclusive answer from those best qualified to judge to the falsehoods propagated by the Trade, about America. When dealing with, Canada why did a patriotic Trade talk about the French province of Quebec which failed the Empire iu the war, and ignore the loyal patriotic■ province l of Ontario? .After three years of war prohibition, Ontario voted on the issue in 1919 with the following result : Prohibition 792,842 Against 369,454 Dry Majority 423,508

After' a ►three years trial prohibition thus had a majority-of more than 2 to 1. Prominent members of the Toronto Board of Trade testified strongly in favour of the law. Two trades had suflci'A bad 1 ). A. bailiff said that under prohibition the business had fallen off more than 60 per cent., and that Ids men hardly ever entered the workers' homes now because the workers were owning instead of renting. “The old time pawnshop,” •said the Toronto Globe a few months ago, “that used to do a roaring trade in the days when the saloons were {Till working full blast is no more. It has followed the 'open bar into the limbo of forgotten things.” Our own no-licence districts afforded further evidence of similar results on British soil. In 12 years of no-licence the population of Masterton increased 42 per cent; crime proportionately to population decreased 70 per cent and drunkenness 80- fer cent. Referring to Prohibition in America the speaker said, it had been a tremendous success, not an absolutely mi-

qualified success for that would be impossible, but there was overwhelming evidence it had been of enormous benefit to the country in regard to commerce and industry, to the poor, and to the children. The American Association for organising h'aniily and Social Work and the Boston l/amily Welfare Society, compare especially the ‘Avqt” year 1917 with the second “dry” year reported that, the proportion °f > families requiring , relief through drink showed great decreases. The following were percentages of decrease; New York 64 per cent ; Washington 75 per cent; Chicago 06 per coni; Boston 91 per cent ; Providence 95 per cent; Now Burgh 99 per cent and Pawtucket 100 pei' cent. In concluding, Mr Atkinson said he would ask his hearers to put aside the fact that liquor did give a little social pleasure and did contribute a little to flic revenue, for the sake of the children, from whose ranks the drunkards of the future would he drawn. A iman whose treath he had known for many years came to him recently and said he was voting Prohibition (his time. In explaining his reason he said he had three arguments at home—throe boys—and he wanted to give •them a better chance than he had had. Continuing the speaker asked had they any such arguments in their own homes. But it was not necessary for them, to have them in their own homes. There were more than 300,000 children in the country. If the drunkards of the future did not come from their own homes they would come from someone else’s, and it was everyone’s duty to be mindful of the welfare of his fellows and especially of (he children Hundreds of children m New Zealand suffered most cruelly through drink and lie asked the people to think of these on polling day. A considerable time was devoted to questions. The gathering concluded by flic singing of tiie National Anthem and shouts and hoots. . V

Mil A. JR,. ATKINSON'S ADDRESS Speaking at the Empire Theatre on Sunday evening, Mr A. It. Atkinson said that the two met) rttSpbrlSihle frtr tlu! liquor ihlflie were the moderate drinker) because the traffic Was licensed for him, and the license voter because the traffic WaS licensed by hino The moderate drinker Was Hit: nltli.l.lillt! eilufie of Hid traffic; illkl ill ids political capacity he still held the key of the position. American prohibition was not the outcome of a teetotal vote. It was not won by a majority that, considered alcohol essentially evil and drinking it essentially wicked. There was of course a fighting and organizing nucleus of convinced teetotallers, but the balance of power was in other hands. Millions of .moderate drinkers, including patrons of the saloon, had to turn their thumbs down before its lla'oat Was cut. They voted to protect their homes, their business and their politics and not to enforce n fanatical view Which they did not hold themselves. The Rfv. 'Mr Heathcote saw 7 in American prombitioti a terrible tragedy in which, by some malign and almost . miraculous iinw'elq it fanatical and unscrupulous minority enforced a_ disastrous experiment on an unwilling but unsuspecting and helpless majority. To him (the speaker) the impressive thing about American prohibition in its final hour of achievement was that millions of moderate drinkers had denied themselves a valued indulgence, for the sake of others and for the good of the country. This collective sacrifice on so vast a scale was one of the most magnificent, displays of practical Christianity that the world had ever seen, and also one of the most beneficient. He was confidently looking to the moderate drinkers of New Zealand for a similar service now.

It had recently been laid down by a New iTersov Court that the community which permitted the sale of liquor was morallv guilty of the crimes committed under'its influence. There was certainly nu room for quibbling about responsibility in the presence of the direct vote. The "finished produce of thejiquor traffic was the drunkard whom it ultimately passed on to the State or the Salvation Army for treatment in jails. • asylums, rescue homes, etc. But the licenses for that kind . of manufacture must be countersigned by a majority of electors at the ballot-box, and it was absurd to blame the brewers and publicans as the main causes of what with his eyes open ihe elector deliberately authorized them to do. The elector could not pass the responsibility on to others. Christian patriotism never had a clearer call or a nobler opportunity. The most nauseating oi the pleas for the traffic were those which arc put forward in the name of patriotism. The trade had often been equally pious before, but never so t patriotic. ‘“Patriotism” said Dr Johnson, is the last refuge of a scoundrel.” He (the. speaker) had never appreciated the full force of this remark till the last three months. That the trade was at its last wasp was proved by the patriotism which extended from its swollen carcase 0/t every pore. What an insult it was to our intelligence, what a libel on oui soldiers, what a slur upon the flag, to suggest that the reaj issue of the war was between British beer and German beer; that our soldiers fought that the brewers, might get a belter price _ for their stuff; and that the trades right to exploit, to rot and bo destroy should bo glorified by the name of patriotism and associated with the triumph of the, British flag. What trade was it that polluted and degraded in that vulgar and disgusting fashion the sacred name of patriotism ? It is Urn traitor trade which in the Old Country when the fate of the nation was trembling in the balance was prepared to hand over the keys of the channel and of the Empire to Germany, rather than submit to the measure which safely demanded. Mr Lloyd George said that drink was a greater danger to Britain that the submarines and the armies of , Germany, and his speeches plainly pointed out piohibition as the only remedy. What was the answer of the Trade It simply shook its money-bags in the face ol the British Government, and said, Up it If you dare?” And the Kaiser rejoiced because the Gpvernmeiint did not. dare. In New Zealand even the small measure of early dosing demanded m the interests of .military efficiency an I public economy ' was fought, by Trade. with all its might. It is wd th recalling that the Moderate ImM which still pretended to bej " ) of the Trade, hut never diffeied fiom it on any essential point, gave a hundred . cent to this utterly unpatriotic proceding. Tlio Trade which was prepared to let Germany win the war than lose its own profits had now the audacity to plead in the name of patriotism for Hit vidit to pursue its devastating career unmolested* An interesting phase of the disinterested patriotism was Mr Heathcoto’s mission. Ho travelled round the country waving a Bible m one < bam, and a beer-stained Union Jack nr the other, and proclaiming the co-equal and inseparable glories of British patriotism ™S P Brifehb«. Mt Hcalhcofe ,nsl ' ‘ ed the great American Republic with which every genuine patriot desired to cultivate the best possible rolations. He sneered at our visi ons from limb country as “aliens,” and did not exen exempt, womanhood from his virulent attacks. Mr Heathcote also sneered at America for being slow to enter the war. What'was her chief obstacle. It was the German-Americau League wi n its 5,500,000 members and the immense German beer interests behind it. ihc same power delayed America that neail> ruined Britain. ‘‘The friends of Britain in America.” said Mr D. Pickett, aa almost to (he last man and woman prohibitionists.” The Germans, the Dagoes and the millions of other foreign-horns were wet to much the same degree. Mi Heathcote insulted , the pro-Bnt.sh majority that carried prohibition, and urged New Zealand to follow the lead of'the Germans, the Dagoes and tie commonest ami roltenesl c ements in the United States. All this, he did m the name of patriotism, hut m the interests But the. glories of Mr Heathcote s patriotic mission were eclipsed by the very latest performance, of the trade. Occupying nearly the whole of. a page in the.'Evening Post-of the 2,lst ms; was an article, introduced ns without doubt the most direct, able and convincing contribution upon the subject that has yet appeared in the New Zealand Press.” The writer, Mr C. A W.ndJc was described ns “tlie Aiucviean editor and orator of < limago. I he fac. that this famous man was the editor of the infamous “Iconoclast- of Chicago, was wisely concealed from i\ew Zealand leaders, “leonoclosl" meant linagebreaker,” and two of the images that Mr Wimlle set out to smash were American prohibition and the British Empire. 'Fortunately they had in New Zealand a man who carried in Jds head nearly all that there was to be known about American prohibition and seemed In have the rest in his bag. Un arriving m Nelson yesterday he (the speaker) had. received from Mr “Pussyfoot” Jolmsoir a letter writ teu at ’ Tniimaui'ioioi on the mid, which ran as follows: /Responding to the enclosed telepram from Air 'Dawson regarding Windie, I would say that, he is thy editor of the most notorious anti-British sheet in America, the Iconoclast of Chicago, Last year whe" the fight was on in Canada, 1 followed'him Up ihete and before 3,500 people in Mas-

sey Hall, T read ti series of editorials from his files. The result was that the next morning, \Vindle cancelled ail his remaining dates and scooted out of Canada. 1 have at Wellington theSe same files of The Iconoclast and I would Suggest that if he has gotten into the game that we give him a whale of it: broadside. I know the history of this rooster. 1 fancied he might' get into this affair ill some Way so I brought these files along with me. 1 have told you the gist, of the story. The lust editorial that I read from the “Iconoclast” referred to England as “a tile old prostitute,” and you can imagine in 6 effect that this had on a Toronto audience. This man had been drummed out of Canada on account ot his filth, hut he if as good enough nevertheless to serve fm lleer Trade of New Zealand in its glorious campaign of patriotism. It would be interesting to see What the Trade had to say after Mr Johnson hud fired his broadside in the Wellington Town Hall that day.

Mrs Munroe was received with loud applause, and sang with great acceptance a aol®. In the course of an address which was listened to with deep •interest, she described the coming of the Maori in canoes to this country, and how they found it so good, and how the tribes settled north and south. Then the pakeha came bringing ever so many good things which the Maori _appreciated, which enriched the Maori with the blessings of western civilization. The Christian missionary and the Maori received with.gladness, the great message of the Redeemer, and the Christian faith. Everything the pakeha brought the Maori appreciated and was blessed by except one thing—the waipiro. This has wrought unspeakable degradation and misery. Every pah in New Zealand bears witness to its evil influence. Homes#broken up, fine men destroyed, debts unpaid, all through the menace of the Waipiro. Mrs Munroe told of how 500 of the flower of the Maori race went to the war. Some learned to take the- waipiro and to-day are in the. grip of its fell, power and habit. The speaker described from her own experience and knowledge cases of Maori families of great promise being ruined by drink, and made a great appeal to her audience to vote for the Maori people at the forthcoming poll. There arc 52.000 'Maoris in New Zef land and some fine Maori Colleges with most promising specimens of our rae_e in these./ Some Maoris have done well in these and have taken their degrees in our University, but they cannot stand against the .drink. Some pakehas smuggle the waipiro into our pahs, sell at a high price and leave degradation and unspeakable misery behind. At the conclusion of the address, Mrs Miniroe sang with much effect ‘‘Home Sweet Home” in Maori and English.