CONSTINUANCE-OF WHAT?

White Ribbon, Volume 30, Issue 364, 18 October 1925, Page 1

CONSTINUANCE-OF WHAT?

\ UTE 4X)NT INI 'ANCK. These magic stare at us from street coiner and houniing. They are with us all the time, not to lie esk«4>ed. Well, before recording a vote for (*oii tin name, every eleilor has the right to Ik fully informed what will lx* con timfed if he vote* Continuance. To vole Contimianre is to vote for the neatest mvl wealthiest of trade monoIndies. What trade is it that asks us to vote for its continuance? What hmit done to entitle it t«* a continuance of its monopoly?. Han it U*en a I«oon and a blessing to the State so great a benefit to the Ihmiinlon that the good it has done outweighs the evil of vt>ti»i« for a trade monopoly? What has it done? First, It taken S\ millions a year from the tavfaiyei; it returns less than two millions a* (histoms kind fees. This S’, millions is taken largely from the people least able to afford It. It fia.s roblttd tie* little children, who go hungry, ill-clot lied. neglected, that this trade nviy support wealthy brewers and liquor sellers. Hut surely it brings revenue to tie* Government? Oh, >es; t»ut listen, if there was no liquor trade to gather In I* millions, that money world he *l»ent first for necessaries, clothing and food then for luxuries, -perhaps for motor tars, and it could not be spent .or any thing that would yield levs revenue to the State than liquor does It could not be invested in any trade wlidi return* a smaller percentage of It* earnings to the worker and a larger in<x>m' to the capit. Hat than the Liquor Trade does. It employs less workmen "or

the money invested than any other trade. Consequently d the hi millions were invested in boots, clothing, motor.', grama pi tones, etc., it would requuv more workmen to manufacture these ui* tides than to brew Uie liquor. Whatever you invest your money in, you will provide employment for moi-c people than if you invested it in Strong Drink. When the Liquor Trade officially, on poster;,, gives the number of employees in h.tels, etc., rt always includes cooks, waitresses, parlour and housemaids. Hut you don't have to vote fui these to be continued. Beds and meals will still l»e required by tn? travelling public, even when the Imre ai" closed. Voting igrinst Continuance only ck*es Utrs. and they keep very few employee*. Moreover, our No-License districts have proved that better accommodation can h? obtained, and at a less cost, where there is no liar. It is a fact well known by business men in the Wainirap* tint C.T.’s put up in No-ladense Masterion, come by train for the day to Cartehon and other licensed area* and return again to Masterton for the night. They are not keen to stay at licensed houses. Hut this trade, which so insolently asks a long-suffering public to vote for its continuance, not only lues no good to show, but it is a jsvntive menace to the Hi ate. It has been pronounced by competent authorities, By doctors, scientists. experts,—to Is* the greatest cause of rue** deray and race suicide. It murders the unborn babe; it denies the child its right to he well born; it is the chief factor in producing sub normal, epileptic, and Idiotic children;

it Likes sucli a frightful toll of infant life that it was proved by statistics to Is* more dangerous during the gnat war, to Is- a Imbe in tlie cradle than a soldier on active service; it paints out toads, railways, etc., with the blood of innocent |*ede#drians sent to their doom l>> men with alcohol diiivned faculties lieing allowed in charge of modern high powered machinery. It is the centre around which other ills cluster, tipchief cause of the white plague—for T.H. is always most rampant where most alcohol is consumed greatest factor ii the spread of red plag e—it exCites young manhood and wonvmiiood. rot** it of self-r« s|»eci, decency and dignity. and sends young lives on the road to <lestris-tion. The Liquor Trade stands condemned as murderer, roliber law-breaker, and lia*\ No question of its guilt, though its execution is de layed. The liquor Trade, just before an election, with its tongue in its cheek, asks ihe puMic to come and reform it. Then it deliberately breaks every law passed to reform it. It sells liquor after hours, it sells to minors, it sells to prohibited persons, it will smuggle liquor to drivers of cars and engine#* upon whose clearness of vision and judgment hang hundred Is of liv<*s; and, in t>rief, it utterly refuses to obey any law. And a trade with such a record comes and asks t ie electors to vote for its continuance. What is the duty of patriotic citizens? To weigh the re eord of the Trade in this Dominion. It is the fashion to sneer at the wowser, but it is well to think what greater evils this trade would hove done in the isist

30 years had it not been for the watchful care and self-sacrificing labours of these same wowsers. They have stopped the issue of fresh licenses or monoindies; they have wiped licenses out in 13 electorates; they have materially reduced licenses in other areas before they lost the reduction vote; they luivc redacts! the hours for the sale of liquor. Hvery elector should put aside personal taste; discard all side Issues, and face a straight out question Does the Trade injure this 1 Summon? If so, wipe it out next month. The responsibility is u|n>n every eleOto to record their vote, and record it conscientiously. If you vote for the continuance of this Trade, you are voting for the continuance of the evils it brings in its train. l>o you wish law-breaking;, race suicide, murder of Infants ruin of youth, etc., to continue? If not, VOTE PROHIBITION. STRIKE Ol’T THE 2 TOP LINES.