The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-14
WHEN IS 4 DONKEY
 REALLY A PERSON?
London Saloonkeepers Puz- zled Over Question Because
 of ''No Treating Order

London, November 1S.-(Special Cor respondence.)-Is donkey a .'person?' Lots and lots of persons are donkeys, but does the rule apply the other way about? This question constitutes the quaintest and most perplexing of all the problems that are worrying licensehold- CTS under Londons new nontreating or der. It is no unimportant one either affecting, as it does, not only many cos ters and many donkeys, but also drivers of horses.
 Many coster's moke, it seems, relishes beer. Can the said owner provide his steed with glass? The new order reads: NO person shall either by himself Or by any servant or agent sell or supply any intoxicating liquor to any person un- less the same is ordered and paid for by the person so supplied" Is a donkey a person within the meaning of the act, and, if not, why should not it's master buy it a drink?
 At hostelry in the famous Old Kent load, this week, an aged coster pulled up with his donkey and cart He has stopped there for many years and has always called for half pint of ale for himself and half a pint for. his donkey. But this time he had great misgivings.
  when he asked for two drinks.
 Who's the other for?''
 Only the old moke-she can't pay for herself"
 The barman shook his head.
 !. Fraid it cane be done now-no treat ing allowed-unless you have d meal, not sandwich, mind you, but a mealA tripe and onions or steak and chips.'
 But the old moke as ad 'er. meal. It's comin' it bit ard when you can't even give drink to a dumb animal that can't pay for erself. We've bin 'avin this drink together for years, the old moke and I. She won't ever pass this pub until she's ad CT half pint.'
 The barman consulted the manage ment, but the management could not express an opinion.
 The old coster has not been in since It may be that both he and his donkey have become ''treatotal. But once a donkey has tasted beer it is surprising what a liking it gets for it, as an au- thority in the Old Kent road pointed out
 If they're gon' ter rob the donkey ov is beer it'll mean secret drinl1in in the stable I shall ev ter take the beer 'ome. But it's goin' ter be an ard job tearin' the mokes away from the pubs. There are 'undreds of em in the East End wot stop every day for half a pint " can't understand why they're dahn on the poor old mokes. They've never given any trouble on licensed premises, and I've never seen one any the worse for drop too much--not that yer could make moke drunk if yer tried.
 There are mokes and mokes-mokes that like cold tea. But the best moke is the moke that likes old beer. He shifts old beer and old beer makes i'm shift. Els never tired after running abart all day, and e never grumbles if he gets is meals a bit irregular.
 "I once had a moke called Junius for IS years, and e never had days ill., ness. He ad a pint of ale every dye of his life, and it kept i'm in the pink. It was worth the tuppence dye-any man will tell yer that donkeys' beer money is good investment, that it is.'
 Most publicans as saloonkeepers are called over here, are not disposed to take any risks over the moot point as to the donkey's ''personality.' The land lord of the we'll known %"Crown and Cushion" in Covent Garden, for example. said:
 'I won't serve two drinks to any man, and I'm afraid I could not allow any man to treat his donkey on my premises The. law clearly says there must be no treating-I take it you must not treat anybody or anything-no matter whether it's your wife, OF your dog. or your horse. or giraffe-all have got to pay for their own drinks. Before the notreating order came in there was donkey in show at the opera house that would never pass my house until it was given some Jumps of sugar.