PROHIBITION.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIII, 15 May 1922, Page 8

PROHIBITION.

GERMAN CAMPAIGN AGAINST PUSS YFOOTISM. (George Renwick). Germany’s wealthy brewing industry is about to start a vast and remarkable campaign against temperance. Some weeks ago I reported that the German Government intends to introduce into the Reichstag a measure to reduce the drink evil in the Fatherland, which is becoming serious. But months ago the great brewers took alarm, and have since been planning an attack, which will cost millions of marks against ill efforts to promote temperance reform. Preparations have been going on steadily and in complete secrecy, and it was only to-day that their amazing plans were revealed. The campaign was decided on at a great secret meeting of representatives ol the German trade,” who brought along two officials of the Swiss National Union of Anti-Prohibitionists, both of whom tendered amazingly frank advice, wkwh will be acted upon. One of these visitors, Dr Kerry, described how an International European Committee agaio.-'b temperance and prohibition was lieing formed. ‘‘We muS.t ; -ft say,” he declared naively, “we are fighting against temperance, but the excesses of temperance.

His colleague. I‘r Neumann, was still more candid. “??& must get hold of the scientists,” he said, “to write against prohiL.t add. through our own Press Buren u ? their articles must be spread ove - the whole German. Press. These article. 1 , must be cautiously written, m? that they don’t appear to be propaganda io of the brewing interests. While we are for drinking, we must f,-j are against swilling.

’By means of the handbills, pamphlets, picture fa hoards, and films we must carry our war into the enemy’s

camp. We must enlist sportsmen on our side to sh .w that after fatigue alcohol has an excellent effect in restoring joy in spcrb.

“In women’s journals we must demonstrate that alcohol has wonderful food value and i.a highly valuable as medicine and as a restorative in cases of heart affection. We must win artists over to our side, who will maintain that the powers of imagination are increased by taking alcohol, and we must take care to have the education authorities on c’uT iide, so that proper and cautious instruction may be given in schools to counteract the influence of temperance- fin a. fries.”

No wonder th - gfeat initial meeting of the campaigr. was a. secret. It was intended that the fight should not be restricted to Germany, but made international.