NOTES FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK.

White Ribbon, Volume 30, Issue 355, 18 February 1925, Page 6

NOTES FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK.

WELCOME HOME! We are all glad to welcome back to our shores Mrs Lee Cowie. We are glad to know she has had such a tine time and that she has returned in good tighting trim for the coming struggle. HOW IT IS DONE. Extracts from W.R. Agent’s Report:—“New subscribers for the year 41. 6 copies taken per month by our Union, which are circulated, sold or given away. I had several interesting experiences in getting new subscribers last year, some I got in shops and some in tram cars by starting conversations with strangers through wearing my White Bow. The dear little bow! it has helped me many times, to talx with people I had not met before. LIQUOR AND I.AROUR. The Brewmg Trade Review says, “Labour is a much smaller factor in the Brewing than in most other industries. In coalmining for example, wages form 70 per cent, of the total cost of production in brewing, wages are not more than 10 por cent, of the whole.”

In the Woman’s Leader we read “For every £200,000 capital invested in the drink trade in this country there are 81 employees, while in general industries there are 415 employees; in the leather trade 565 employees, and furniture trade 725 employees. These are the figures from 3 converted breweries in U.S.A. (a) Where 100 men were employed, now 500 make furniture, (bl 156 now 1600 are tanning, (c) 125 now 2 500 make boots.” Small wonder the U.S.A. has no unemployed ! BREWERS’ DIVIDENDS. But if Labour gets little out of Breweries, the monopolists who own these breweries are piling up fortunes. One London Brewery paid 20 per cent, dividend on its deferred ordinary stock and carried forward a balance of £185,000, after setting aside £200.000 for general reserve fund account. A Birmingham brewery paid 10 per cent, dividend on ordinary shares; carried forward

£213,808. If the 307 million pounds which Great Britain spends every year in Strong Drink was diverted into useful channels, how the wheels of industry would hum; and what the Government could do if it had the money now going out as unemployment dole. When will British Statesmen see how this vampire the Liquor Trade is sucking the golden bloodstream of the Nation.