The White Ribbon. For God and Home and Humanity. TUESDAY, MAY 18, 1915. MODERATION.

White Ribbon, Volume 20, Issue 239, 18 May 1915, Page 9

The White Ribbon. For God and Home and Humanity. TUESDAY, MAY 18, 1915. MODERATION.

\Ye have been waiting lon# to hear from the Moderate League on the question of Temperance Reform. While every nation is discussing th>* loss of efficiency caused by alcohol and dealing in a drastic fashion with the manufacture and sale* of strong drink, no word has been received from the Moderate League. Russia is on the water waggon, and we have it on good authority that 1 inhibition in Russia saved Paris. Russia’s rapid mobilisation, due to a sober soldiery, saved Paris. The nation that under the old regime of vodka-drinking went down completely before the sober Japs, now sober itself, is bearing itself bravely, and holding back the veteran armies of

Germany and Austria. France has curtailed the sale of liquor, and abso lutely forbidden absinthe, and is rapidly advancing along the road to total Prohibition. Norway has forbidden wheat and barley to be wasted in the manufacture of strong drink when food is so urgently needed. Lloyd George says strong drink is a deadlier enemy than German bullets, and the Mother Country i> discussing plans for grappling with this vice. In the meantime what is this Dominion doing? Are our public men following the King’s example, and banishing the* traitor from their homes? With bread the high price it is, and a threatened scarcity of grain, do we hear of any attempt to stop our admittedly inadequate stock of grain being wasted in the* manufacture of liquor, which i- not only useless, but harmful to the* consumer? Why is not the* Moderate League agitating for hotels to close* at 6 p m. and on the- weekly half-holiday? Surely this reform is rrederats enough to satisfy them? One thing this war has plainly shown —that the sober nation wins. Workmen who drink lessen their efficiency by 50 per cent. Fancy 50 per cent, less output of ammunition because workmen sit and drink in hotels when work i- over, and men at the front, who are giving up comfort, ease, and life itself, are endangered because the man .it home won’t give up his beer.