The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-03-30
IF We Are to Settle With Ccr-
man Militarism We Must
First Settle With Drink
Official England
Greatly Stirred
Russian Drive Continues.
Many Lives Lost When Pass
senger Steamer Is Sunk In
Submarine Attack

London. March 29s-Dnsfd Lloyd
George. chancellor Of the exehe-
auer. accompa MED by other onaclals
and prominent naval and arHy
officers, received today II deputatisn
from the Shtpbuilders Employer
Federation. who urged the impeRa- 3
tive necessity of total prohihittOn
of the sale of intoxtcnnts during
the war, not only I'm saloons, but
In private clubs and other licensed
premises.
The federation's representations des
clared that partial prohibition isaaeex
less, and that the consensus of optnloris
among the workers themselves favored
total prohibition. Notwithstanding the
fact that work ia carried on Sundays.
aud in other overtime. they said, tina
output actually IN less than It waa'
before the war. and in many cases
the workmen work fewer hours. Eighty
per cent OF this, the employers depu-4
tation said. can be attributed TO drink.
1t IL admitted that there are many and
strenuous exceptions. but the efforts
OF these are overbalanced by the idle-l
ness OF others.
The Mischief of Drink
The receipts of the saloons near
the yards. the deputation continued,
showed convincingly the increase OK
drinking. The drinkers not only drink
more during the curtailed saloon hours
but buy bottles Of spirits and drink,
elsewhere.
As an instance of the mischief d06m
by this drinking, the deputatiun cft0<k
battleship brought to the yard for
immediate repair. work on which waa
delayed for a whole day through the
absence OF bibuIous riveters. In one
yard, the employers said. the rivetera
WEI a yaya yf,7 40. -
week. in another thirty-six hours a.
week.
Mr. LoydGeorge replied that the
statements were very startling bur
admitted that the evidence given by
the employers was irrefutahle This
evidence, he said. confirmed the re-
suits OF his own inquiries He ex-
cused the failure OF the government to
take more drastic measures hitherto
on the plea that it was inadyisable
10 act In advance Of public sentiment,
"a course. he said. which would do
more harm than good. He expressed
confidence. however, that the counting
, was beginning TO realize the GRAVITY
OF the situation.
DRINK Worse Than Germans.
Having gone into this matter =
great deal more closely in the last
few weeks" he said. II must soy
hsat nave u GTVWbRs
based on accommodating evidence, tlaa&.
nothing but root and branch methods
will be of the slightest avail In dcal-
ing with this evil. III we are To sCt-H
tic with German militarism we muse
first settle with drink. We are fight
ing Germany. Austria and drink. and
as far AS ! can sec the greatest Of
these three deadly foes Is drink"
The success Of the war. the Chan-s
cellor said. Is now purely Il question
of munitions and equipment. This,
he said was not only his own cons
viction. but that OF Sir John French.
and. he believed. OF Lord kitchener.
He added that King George receiv04
him in audience this forenoon, and
that the King was deeply concerneA
with the drink question The Kingeo
concern. Mr.. Loyd-George said c1t~
tainly was shared by his subjects
/ The Chancellor cordially thanke4
the ieputation for information they
had given him, and which, he said
would De considered by the Governs
ment and treated with great weiehts
He invited them to give him furtheA
facts ana figures bearing on the samo
conditions.