Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-05-03
WAR AND WATER WAGONS
DUY Grape Juice Preferred!

!
DUY Grape Juice Preferred,
ID 1t isn't a speculation, it's a sure
thing. Lemons and cocoa factories
also are desirable investments.
Cold. gray dawns Of mornings
after" soon will be a thing of the past.
There are to be no more mornings
after" With every one on the water
wagon, how can there be?
England now is making the most
desperate efforts to follow Russia's eX-
ample and get aboard the water wagon,
even to inviting Chilly" Sunday to
come over and help her. il is a high
wagon, and requires some boosting.
The hesitancy Of the English Govern
ment to enforce prohibition is in strik-
ing contrast to its summary action in
taking over all the public utilities, fix
ing prices OF commodities and gener-
ally ignoring the usual rights of pri-
vate property, under the stress of war.
1t also Is significant that the intensity
of patriotism, which induces a million
Englishmen to offer their lives to their
country does not stand the test of vol
unfairly giving up liquor, even when
temperance is urged upon them by
King, Parliament. church and press as
an urgent patriotic duty.
There Is an interesting analysis of
the English attitude toward the drink
situation in the Century %, by j. D.
Whelpley, an American journalist who
has been sent abroad by the United
States Government on 10 commissions:
In it's handling of the drink question
among the two million citizens gathered
as soldiers and sailors for the defense OF
British territory, the British Government
has shown apparent political cowardice
that Is In sharp contrast to the courage
of those who rule the destinies of Russia
and France. When the party in power
admits through its Prime Minister that
from 10 to 10 per cent, of the soldiers are
rendered inefficient through drink, there
must be some vital reason why the
country, or at least the military camps
and their neighboThoods, are not made
prohibition areas; and there is a reason,
in fact there are several reasons, not
one of which is brought forward in par
Eamentary debate or In the press, for
they affect too closely the political and
social life of the nation.
The temperance movement in England
lacks to a marked degree one great vital
driving force that exists In other coun-
tries. That is the unanimous support of
the women, for the English women of
the poorer classes, in the cities at least,
are generally as heavy drinkers as are
the men. One of the sights" OF English
cities, which invariably makes a most
4 uuffV 4T1aYNR
itor, is the drunken woman in the pub
lie house and on the street.
The right to drink Is a privilege so in
grained in the British character that
many OF the people who are now writing
letters to the papers and otherwise pro-
testing against drunkenness among the
soldiers, would be among those who
would promptly rebel against a pronibi-
tlon order which In any way affected
themselves. There is no doubt also that
If teetotalism were known TO be compul-
sorry upon all recruits, the call for yolun-
teers would be dishearteningly small. es-
pecially among the poorer people. Behind
all this, sinister in Its real meaning, is
the influence of the brewers political and
financial Political Partially to
the brewers Is easily explained. To many
of the well-hnown names in the brewing
world are now tackled titles of varying
value. The services of these men 10 their
country have been no greater and no less
than those of thousands of other wealthy
and public-splrited Englishmen, but their
to party funds have been
notoriously large and their influence with
the voters Is naturally formidable. That
the weight OF this influence would bA
eXerted against any decree OF prohibition
In the British army Is undoubtedly trua
In all the centuries OF English law
making real system of free education
has been denied to the people. They
have been encouraged, indirectly at least.
ooth men aud women. 10 look to the dram
shop for their only happiness. eomfart
and entertainment No blame attaehes 10
The many who now do likewise. Tor IL
alternative Is hunger. cold ana lonely
misery