New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-04
rBy Cable 10 TIE Tribune.l

London, May 2.-The white paper
issued yesterday, with its damning
evidence of slackness in the output OF
munitions and in the work Of the ship
yards, seems to have had no effect
whatever on Londoners, who generally
still regard the governments proposals
for restrictions on the drink habit with
the utmost bitterness. The Tribunc's
correspondent to-day made extensive
inquiries among persons in all walks
Of life, and scarcely one could be found
to give the slightest approval to Lloyd
Georges scheme.
A eery-looking mechanic was prop
ping up public house near the Hay
market. ITS just another attempt
he said, "to take it out Of the poor
workingman. Why shouldn't we have
our drink? Don't we work hard enough
for what money we get? The rich aren't
going to suffer. They say the King has
turned teetotaller. He can afford to.
There are some big cellars at Bucking-
ham Palace. But / can't afford to be a
teetotaller. | haven't any cellar"
"Mutiny" if Beer Was Stopped.
A private in Kitchener's army, with
a little smattering of an education, was
equally emphatic.
They're just muddlng things, as
usual" he declared. This government
doesn't understand either human nat
ure or history. / know if they tried
to stop our beer there would be some
thing like mutiny among our crowd.
It's no use offering man soft drinks
after a twenty-mile route march with
all equipment"
Opposite His Majesty's Theatre some
men were engaged in erecting new
building They were busy hauling. up
enormous steel girders, when they
stopped for a moment. One OF them
opened this subject Of his own ac-
cord
This is a job to give you thirst!
Thank heaven they've not raised the
price Of beer yeti"
Don't you approve Of Lloyd Georges
ideas?" asked the Tribune man.
approve Of him? Wouldn't | just
like to get near him-robbing the man
who is the backbone of England of his
little comforts! Let him come and
take on this job; he'd soon find out
what work meant. ! bet he'd soon
want a glass Of beer to keep him go
ing" ,r--
Standing opposite was an old soldier
who had served in eighteen different
regiments. His line of discussion on
this subject was very different.
Would Be Better Without It,"
THE government made asses Of them
selves" he asserted. "They should
have stopped it altogether If they
wanted to do any good. The working
men can do without it quite well. It's
lust 2 habit. Beer is the worst thing
in the world for quenching thirst /
like it myself occasionally. The trouble
with US in this country Is that we make
a fetch Of drink. We would all be bet
ter without 1t.
A postman delivered himself of the
following mournful remarks on the
question::
81 earn just over two pounds week.
I'm what you call moderate drinker-I
have three drinks daily. ! need them.
Now | shall have to cut them down 10
two. It's pretty hard on me. I've
served the government all these years
and now I'm working harder than ever.
Everything has gone up 90 per cent.
It's almost impossible TO get our pay.
Now the government goes and puts up
the price of beer, which is almost ne
cessity, to the same level as everything
else. It's damnable shame"
Schoolmaster Against Prohibition.
The headmaster of an elementary
school said:
81 have supported the government, but
L. lgv no
| shall vote against them ever after.
I've done my duty to the State and
wbv should | be penaliZed because Of
the habits Of a few thousand men
working on war munitions. Couldn't
the government deal with them with
out irritating the whole normal popu-
lation Of the country? ! drink a bot
tie OF whiskey a week. Now | shan't
be able TO afford it. ! intend TO go
without it rather than pay this ridi-
culous tax"
A small saloon keeper in North Lon
don, whose trade is done in the eve
ming entirely, when a good class Of
men bring their wives with them, said:
ut means my ruin. When Lloyd
George imposed the last tax on beer
our profits decreased per cent. Since
last Thursday my trade has dropped
over 90 per cent. If the duties be-
come law it means the end Of my
struggling existence. would be
obliged to close up Immediately"
Bank Manager Thinks II Futile.
A bank manager said: 81 have never
known people so irritated. The gen.
eral opinion is that ordinary citizens
will be Inconvenience, while the man
who is determined TO get drink will
not be restrained from doing so. As
regards the revenue, / think it will
mean big loss % the Treasury"
An official Of large wine concern
said: at means the ruin Of our entire
trade and will unquestionably injure
terribly our ally, France. whose wine
export trade is one of the few trades
remaining more or less intact. No
sensible person ever dreamed that re-
sponsible statesmen would take a step