WAR TIME ANOMALIES

Timaru Herald, Volume CIV, Issue 15903, 6 March 1916, Page 4

WAR TIME ANOMALIES

To tlio Editor of the •'Timam Herald." Sir, —J read carefully the "Herald'' this morning mid 1 cannot get the facts it contains oil' my mind. i\ot for some t.mo have the news items heeu so provocative of tuought, and the resuil, o1 ones tiiuik lig is very d;squ.otiu;j;. We

iiic told that we must not give way to to pessimism, bin it, is diil'uu.t to lead through your columns tins morning and pris.rve one's optimism. One eanno: Jielp asking tue quest.o;), "When will jinioii.s. at- Home and overseas realise the. seriousness of ihe present unparalleled crisis, and lie wi.nng to act worthily of the high issues now at stake I '' Your coluinns tips morning (.om.ii.iu many items winch to the caroic-s reader may seem unrelated However, when these Hems are brought, together, they are seen to he closely connected, and our. iccegnition of that connection ij very disturbing. Will you permit me to hr.ug a few items, scattered over your columns together that the eontrust prosentod by the facts may lie seen 'i

In one column we have an account of the titanic struggle going on in Europe —a struggle in wbi.-.h we believe tho British Empire, and all we hold nios dear are at stake. The sceno changes and we have an account of a great "economy campaign" inaugurated in the histoi ic Guildhall. Of such importance to tho successful conduct of the war did Lord Kitchener regard this meeting that he left lis absorbing duties at the War Office in order to take part in it: The War Minister is a. man of few words, but every word he speaks is well considered and weighty. He, says, "If everyone is to go on living as though tho times were normal wc dial I bo unable to get tlic soldiers and munitions imperatively needed to carry through our tremendous task." Ho.asks T ho heart-searching question. "Should their brothers sacrifice their lives and endure hardships of

all kinds, yet civilians br> not ready to undergo small s.icr.lices in the way of Raider Wi.'k r.u.l increased economy, which aloiM can crtainly provide the armicv. with all they require till the end of the war I-'-''

Then wo pass to your leading coluinns, where you emphasise the great importance of this "Economy Campaign.'' and right.y contend that Now /e:;;and should hep the Mother Country to b.'ar the economic burden. But what has Tima.ru doing while our own troops and our brave A.lie; have brcn making such a stand for us, while this economy campagn was being started on its way. and while you were writing your weighty words? This morning's "Herald" probably suppi e:i the answer. Thousands of our citizens have been "fiddling." Almost three columns of this morning's paper are occupied with an account of " the "signal success" of yesterday's ract meeting. The attendance we are told was large. YVe gather that it was better than last year: £13,198 passed through the totalisator. as against £ll.. 788 last year—an increase of £l,-110. Moreover, there was such a. crowd round the machine that "hundreds of people were shut out from making intended investments." No comment is needed on the above. The only redeeming feature your reporter chronicles is that "it was noticeable that comparatively few women wore present." One wonders-that there was wen one. '

Passing to another column we read of the efforts- being made by the Liquor Party in Canada to defeat the will of the people. "Five prominent licensed victuallers have been arrested on charges of seeking to influence the course of the liquor legislation, and bribing. "Warrants have been served on three members of the Legislature and others are being served on public officials, and a hank manager, some of whom are charged with receiving bribes." In another column under the heading "People's savings from drink," we arc informed that the Russian peasantry 'paid during- the year into the Savings Banks "£350,000,000 the amount of one of Britain's biggest war loans. And this economy lias become possible because at the beginning of the war Russia was far-seeing and prohibited the sale of vodkha.

In your leading article, quoting the manifesto of the leading British bankers, you insist "that the production of non-essentials must be wholly stopped," that "not only must the nation avoid tho consumption of all non-essentials; it must even restrict the consumption of essentials to the limits of efficiency." Then you ask the pertinent question, "While the. financial outlook is demanding such great sacrifices of the British people what is tho position of New Zealand?" Tho answer of New Zealand to your question is a very sorry answer. Racing goes on as usual and larger amounts* are passing througl tire, totalisator than ever before. Tho Drink Traffic is unrestricted and is consuming as much of the people's resources as would pay all our. war expenses. . Moreover, 'it is admitted on every side, that great injury Is being done to our soldiers through drink" Disgraceful scenes have been witnessed The Defencto. Minister admits it and warns the publicans. "Givis," of the "Otago Daily Times," —a. sworn enemy of prohibition—advocates prohibition for the,war period. The Christchurch "Press" contends that on the ground of economy the drink traffic should bt restricted. Notwithstanding all these admissions little or nothing is done in New Zealand to restrict the production or sale of this .'-'non-essential" which is working such injury; Putting all the "facts "together one cannot help feeling that we as a nation are not yet ready for victory; and that complete triumph under our present mental and moral attitude would be anything but a blessing to us.—-1 Slll; THOMAS STINSON-. The Manse, Timaru-. March 3: