The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1911-09-07
AWFUL CURSES OF ALCOHOL
Robs Man Of His Best Friends, Of
Strength, Honor, Reason. Love,
Money and Even Life.

Money and Even Life.
CBy SIR WILFRED T. GREENFEI.L.
NJ. d.
Why don't want to see liquor used
at sea? Because when go dodwn for
watch below, want to feel that the
man at the wheel sees only one light
when there is only one light to see:
that when the safety Of the ship and
all II carries depends on the cool head.
the instant resolve and the steady
hand Of the helmsman, there is not
standing there in place of the man,
the poor. debased creature that all
| the world has seen alcohol create
even out OF such gifted men as Burns
and Coleridge and hosts of others.
have seen ships lost through col
lision because the captain had been
taking a little alcohol" have had
TO tell woman that she was a widow
and that her children we're fatherless.
because her husband, gentle and Low.
ing and clean-livlng. had been tempt.
ed TO take "a drop OF alcohol at sea.
and gone out into a drunkard's eter
nifty. have had TO clothe children and
feed them when reduced to starvation.
because alcohol had robbed them of a
natural protector and all the necessi
ties OF life. have had to visit in
prisoners the victims OF crime, caused
as directly in honest men by alcohol
as a burn Is caused by falling into the
FIRE.
Why 90 not want alcohol as a bev.
erage in country where cold is ex-
IRENE, exposure Is constant. and ply.
steal conditions are full OF hardship?
Simply because I have seen men go
down In the struggle for want of that
natural strength which alcohol alone
had robbed them Of The fishermen
\ that live among are my friends. and
! love .hem as my brothers, and do
not think | am unnecessarily preju-
deer or bigoted when say that
alcohol is inadvisable. after one has
seen II robbng his best friends OF
strength. honor. reason. kindness.
love. money and even life
During 20 years experience on
the sea and on the snow in winter
an experience coming after an up
bringing In soft places-I have found
| that alcohol has been entirely nu-
necessary.
| have been doctoring sick men and
women OF every kind and have
found that | can use other drugs OF
which we know the exact action and
which We can control absolutely with
greater accuracy In cases of necessity
for stimulating the heart contend
we can get just as good results with.
out II. and ] always fear its power to
create a desire for itself II is not
necessary for happiness. for have
known no set of men happier and en-
joying their lives more than the
crews of my own vessel. and the
many. many fishermen who. like our.
selves neither touch, taste nor handle
H.
! would be willing TO allow that the
manufacture OF II gives employment.
that the sale OF II is remunerative.
that desire for II can be easily
created. But the desire for Il has to
be cultivated" and once cultivated
the market" il certain to open up
for the desire becomes an Unsuitable,
uncomfortable lust in many. have
no controversy with anything that
gives employment and circulates
money, and should possibly be salts
fed II after all the good grain and
good foodstuffs had been fermented
and converted into this particular
kind OF poison. instead OF being pour.
ed down mems threats. II were pour
ed into the ocean-where at least II
would do no harm.
| have seen me nrobbed In many
ways. but they have been able. by the
help Of God TO wipe out any lasting
results of such transient losses. But
the robberies OF alcohol are IRENE
| diable. | buried In lonely grave on
a projecting promontory. far down
the coast of Labrador. a young girl
Of is. She was some ones daugh.
ter and some ones sister. had taken
her aboard our little hospital ship for
! the last week OF her life. She should
have been alive today. but she had no
desire TO live. All that could possibly
make life worth living for her had
been robbed from her through the
means OF alcohol. and she could not
face the home-going again.
II | ever have the opportunity given
to me 10 say word at any time or in
any place which could help TO in.
hibit the use OF alcohol as bever.
age. so long as | can stand upon my
feet shall be proud to get up and
speak H.