WAR AND ALCOHOL.

Southern Cross, Volume 23, Issue 34, 27 November 1915, Page 12

WAR AND ALCOHOL.

APPEAL BY REV. J. DAWSON. EVIL RESULTS OF TOLERATION. HOW THE . BEER LORDS RULE. “It is a national disgrace, in this time of crisis, that the beer lords should be allowed to dominate the Empire to such an extent that we can only r apply' restrictive measures where we should wipe out the traffic altogether, as Russia and France have done. If we did that, with every- ounce of energy at our command, German tyranny- and oppression would soon be overcome, and true liberty- reign. God hasten the day.” These words formed the preface of an' address on the war and alcohol in the Don street Alethodist Church

on Sunday night, the preacher being the Rev. J. Dawson, Wellington. His text was taken from David's dying counsel to Solomon : —‘‘l go the way of all the earth ; be thou strong, therefore, to shew thyself a man. . . . . . Moreover, thou knowest also what J oab the son of Zeruiah did to me. . . .. Do, therefore, according

to thy wisdom,, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace.” The preacher pointed out that David was looking at his life as a failure, in spite of many brilliant achievements, because, 37 years before, he had spared Joab, who had dealt treacherously with him and his, and had done much evil lin the intervening years. Duty neglected had caused suffering to others, and had overshadowed everything else that was beautiful and satisfactory'" in David’s career. He urged Solomon to do his duty at any cost, and sla.y this man-destroyer, Joab. Justice to the dead and protection for the living demanded that ,J oab should die. The same appeal came to us in connection with the war. () that our nation had listened years ago to the warnings of that grand old patriot. Lord Roberts ! Had we done so, Germany would not have been able to do so much harm as she had done. Thousands and thousands of lives had been lost as the price of the toleration we had extended to a great military nation, and now the voice of history and the voice of Posterity called upon us to be strong, and to show ourselves men, and shatter the great foe of Progress, and of humanity. David reminded Solomon of what the treacherous -Joab had done, and it might be we,l for us to think of Belgium, of the Zeppelin raids, the Lusitania outrage and other atrocities. We should be prepared to make every sacrifice to save the next generation from the iniquities that had been heaped upon this one. But it was not alone this great military machine that was degrading and destroying men. Inside our own beloved Empire we had another mighty-, oppressive, - degrading, and destructive force which we must fight, must conquer. The beer lords may have their dividends at stake, their share lists may loom large, but in the name of humanity, in justice to the dead, and in protection of the living we must show ourselves men in dealing- with this evil. If we left this foe within our gates for succeeding g-enerations to cope with, we would have to reproach ourselves as David did for the havoc wrought by our toleration in sparing a man-destroy-er. History repeats itself, and if this generation does not conquer not only the German foe, but the enemy within the empire in the shape of alcohol, then death and ruin will be in their track right along the ages. Our Army and Navy, with the Allies, were doing their part against the military foe’ and he called on them, for the sake of all they- held dear, to smite the drink evil. It was' hindering us in the war, and telling ag’ainst us commercially and nationally —it was hurting us at every point. These combined foes must be beaten at any- cost. He hoped that the spirit of real patriotism would take hold of everyone of us, from the King to the meanest subject in the Empire ; let us be strong by doing our duty. God grant that in the coming days we may- be strong, letting not the hoar head of any evil go down to the grave in peace.

The liquor restrictions introduced by the Imperial Government, apply to the many military and munitions areas, and limit the sale of spirits for home consumption to two and a half hours on Monday-, Tuesday-,

Wednesday-, Thursday and Friday-. The minimum quantity that can be purchased is a quart. All liquors must be paid for when ordered. The liquor trade and some newspapers strongly protest against these drastic regulations.