ALCOHOL THE SABOTEUR

White Ribbon, Volume 49, Issue 6, 18 July 1943, Page 1

ALCOHOL THE SABOTEUR

Liquor is retarding the war effort of every Allied nation. Study the daily newspapers in New Zealand and take note of police offences in which the plea i', “I’d l:ad some liquor, or it would not ave happened.” We have failed to sec a single offence committed by men in uniform when this excuse was not given. Remove the liquor and you stop the crimes. Leverage alcohol has played an amazing part in undermining and ultimately bringing about the defeat of practically every nation. General Retain said, in sj>eaking of the fate of France, “Our soldiers were drunk and could not fight. ’ TAKE CAREFUL NOTE. Pearl Harbour was attacked by the Japanese on Sunday morning after a Saturday night pay-day and shore leave. PRESIDENT OF COLLEGE OF NEUROPSYCHIATRISTS. (ioes on record at an annual meeting if their college: “At a time when everyinc is expected to ‘work or fight,’ chronic .. ,holism is sending at least 1,000,(XX) Americans to the scrap heap, with 50,000

new alcoholics Inking added each year. United States official figures show destroyed in making of alcoholic leverages: 15,197,808 tons of grain and rice; 1,010,13 d tons of fruit; 60,378 tons of sugar, syrup and molasses—an average of 247 |K>unds for every man, woman and child in the United States." Shall we be constantly reminded that food is defence and Mill continue to mash bushels of grain into liquor while we at the same time exj>ort grain to Britain only to have it returned as Scotch whisky? Are we satisfied to ration sugar, coffee, tires, gas and oil and still give priority to booze? WHO IS RESPONSIBLE? It seems to have grown into a custom for some years, that when an evil exists in our midst it should not be prohibited, but licensed. We have licensed liquor bars and licensed gambling. But those who elect our Members of Parliament are really responsible. We are shortly to have an election. Every elector should register a vote in favour of the candidate who will vote for total abolition of the manufacture and sale of alcohol for beverage puri>oscs during the war and for six months after.

But at the Licensing Poll there are three issues: (a) Continuance, (h) Abolition, and (c) State Control of the Liquor Trade. Some who have not studied the question may vote for the third issue, and think if the State controlled the Trade, liquor restrictions would be rigidly enforced. This has not been the case wherever tried, and particularly in Canada. State control has not been a succcV Also, State Control makes the State a liquor seller, and many self -resin**ting citizens object to being linked with such a trade. Also, once the State owned the Trade, what hope would we have of ending it? Can anyone imagine a Government giving up such a profitable source of revenue as the Liquor Trade? The Liquor Trade is the greatest enemy to national peace and well-being. It cannot be mended, therefore it mu«t Ik: ended. How? Ify the ballots of a jK’ople who, visualising a Christian order, realise there is no place therein for a licensed evil, and by faith, prayer, and education VOTE IT OUT!