NOT FASHIONABLE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 51, 6 April 1914, Page 5

NOT FASHIONABLE.

WHISKY AND SODA.

LONDON CLUB LIFE. The man who ordered afternoon tea in a London club a few years ago was regarded with pronounced disfavour by his follow-members, writes the London correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph." To-day between 4 and 6 p.m., tea is a far more general order than whisky and soda, or alcohol in any other form. And yet, comparatively few men have actually abandoned spirits or wine for temperance drinks. The consumers of tea and soft drinks are a new generation. For instance, in the military clubs, the change was worked by the young officers, to the accompaniment of much indignation and prophecy of national degeneration from the old men on the reserve list. The veterans went through the military colleges 50 years ago still take their whiskies and soda, and apparently flourish exceedingly upon them. The younger generation argues that their abstinence is compelled by the increasing pressure of twentieth century competition. They say that the veteran can drink without damage to himself, because he is a reservist witfe no demands upon his brain; and they assert that the veteran, when a young, active officer, could drink harder than is discreet or fashionlable to-day, because even with a fuddled brain and a sluggish liver he could easily accomplish the relatively small amount of work which was was done at that time. The old man, of course, retorts that if anything there was more work accomplished in the roaring days when he was a captain or a major, and that the moderate drinking of the present time is simply due to tie weaker brains arid stomachs of the new generation. NO CHANCES TAKEN.

Whatever the reason, there is no denying the fact that temperance is rapidly advancing am»ng all classes in this country. The improvement is, perhaps, not so marked among the workers as elsewhere. But even the working man is probably a lighter drinker than he was 20 years ago. Nor can it be seriously challenged, despite the'contention of the old brigade, that men have come to recognise that if they would succeed in the fierce competition of this century they must strictly regulate the amount of alcohol they drink. There is far more abstinence in all the universities and various colleges at which young men congregate. It is not that hard drinking is becoming unfashionable. It is the clear recognition that men can no longer play about with numerous whiskies and sodas during the day, and night after night drink as much wine as they can carry with dignity. There is no profession or calling in England at the present time in which the brilliant man can take any chances against his competitors. The casual, prodigy who could drink recklessly, and yet win through by occasional flashes of brilliancy, is now practically unknown. Success of any sort can only be attained by men who keep themselves mentally and physically fit, and who supplement their native gift by unbroken application. This is particularly true of all the professions. v THE INTEMPERATE NOETH.

In the business world, and especially in the north, there is still a lot of excessive drinking. For instance, one gathers that Lancashire is a dangerous training ground for young business men. This'is due, no doubt, to the fact that the younger sons of merchants find themselves almost overwhelmed with cash, and yet placed where money can buy very little that is actually attractive. No scale of expenditure could conceivably make existence exhilarating within 10 or 15 miles of the city of Manchester. Money cannot gild modern Lancashire. Hence the tendency of the wealthy young men whose way has been made easy for them by strenuous forefathers, to seek pleasure in the manner fashionable in London a hundred years ago. The young merchant has actually or nominally to manage his business, and spend most of his time in Lancashire, and the result is that very often he drinks to excess. But, taking the nation as a whole, it has become more sober. The change is not due to the temperance reformers, but, as I have said, to the increasing pressure of the struggle for existence.

TEA ROOMS. An important part in this reform has been played by the modern tea room. There is apparently a bigger profit in selling cups of tea than pots of beer. The opening of a tea room in London is now far more common than the opening of a new hotel. And to a decided extent the tea room anticipates the demand. In districts where there is apparently tio call for an attractive room in which tea might be sold for Id or 2d a cup and 2d or 3d a pot, a bright establishment will open, and within a few weeks be doing a crowded trade. And you will find on investigation that while many of the customers are casual, and many are made up of people who were previously in the habit of carrying their lunches to their offices, still.more are actually won away from the neighbouring hotels. This does not apply, of course, to the habitual beer or spirit drinker, but to the great numbers of men who, before the days of the tea shop, made it their daily habit to have a glass of ale with their lunch, and perhaps another drink or two before they left the city in the evening. Twenty-five years ago the tea room was unknown in .London. The yonng men of all classes had either to make their own tea in their shops or offices, go without a stimulating drink at all, or drink beer or stout at the hotels. Undoubtedly some of the change has been worked by the participation of women in the life of all English cities. Not only did the girl clerk at once provide custom for tea room enterprise, but her example was promptly followed by the majority of young city men. "SHOUTING." "Shouting," in the Australian sense, is rare in England. A man will frequently ask you to have a drink, but he never thinks it strange or presses you if you decline. If one Londoner takes three or four others to "shout" for them there is no stupid obligation on the other four to "shout".,in their turn. And even among the young bloods the idea of a "razzle" is'by no means the Australian idea. Here a few men who wish to do themselves well, and have a night out will probably start with a prolonged dinner at the Savoy or the Piccadilly; they wUA drink only the best wine, and if they are at all men of town they will profess a profound knowledge of vintages. Afterwards they will go late to one of the music halls, and then, probably, have supper and mpre good wine at one of the first hotels. They might then go on to a night club. They are, perhaps, not a bit more temperate than the young Australian of their kind, but even when on the '' scoot'' they don't drink with the same fierce competitive energy and the;same pronounced fear of not buying fully as many drinks as the other members of the party, and, if possible, one more. "Shouting," as it is done in Australia, is one of the marks of a very young country.