The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-12-18
WHAT IS THE NATTER WITH ENGLAND?
Criticism and q Reply. by Sir Gilbert Parker, Reprinted
from a Pamphlet Printed in Great Britain.

~ "HNN 80 Va - 49, 2"
have hpo q very large correspondents
with American citieenA and nav
watched ~elcseiy the trend o. uplniou
Ia the United Statca through a great
namber Of newspapers which come TO
me regularly. The United states be-
ing the most important % al the
neutral nations. and with . scheme OF
government and with ambitions for
civilization differing only In color and
detail from our own, Sc opinion and
judgment are Of deep importance 10
all other natioas engaged In the war.
During the last few months some
correspondents friendly but critical,
and a few others. unfriendiy and cen-
serious. and also newspapers. impa-
tient with the slow progress % the
war, ana Impressed BY GermAny's
great military organization. have
asked questions which may ~ consid-
cred az Follows;
tn why Il there 80 much drinking
in Great Britain at this time Of ma
tional crisisf
ca DO not the strikes In South
Wales chow a leah OF patriotism apd
an Indication that the trades unions
are not strong for the war;
g81 why are your ablc-bodied mea
80 backward IN answering their coun-
fry's call to the coiorsg
ca Why are the armies you have
managed 70 raise proving 30 inactive
and Ineffective on the western front ?
60 Why have You not mel the de-
mande OF our generals for muni-
tons?
90 Above all. Why y your navy
Britain's pride and boosted bulwark-
doing so little 10 justify is reputa-
tion7 Why does q not search the
German navy ~ In the Baltic and
come TO blows7
I feel tha these questions ought 10
be answered thus publicly / o several
correspondents and 70 newspapers.
which. bearing as no iil-wili. are al
most nervousiy anxious about our
progress.
Let me begin with drink.
Drink has always been "a canker Of
Industrial ~civillEatlpn." II IL Is "a
conEpicuous now Il Is. largely due 70
the sense OF responsibility so greatly
felt By the bcs part OF the popula.
tion. IL IL because they are pushing
a course OF patriotic effort and indi-
vidual sacrifice with almost sacred
conviction. and Indulgence such as at
tracts no vital attention IN aofmal
conditions seems an oRense when the
nations existence il at stake. Also.
In every urban population there iE al
ways a percentage OF selfish. disrep-
utabic and Irresponsible people who
reject discredit 'on the whole com
munity.
The economic d~lslocatfon OF war
has brought unexpected earnings into
the pockets OF this stratum. which
represents about ten or twelve per
cent OF the whole, and the money has
gone whero u would always have
gone. alas. had u been forthcoming
There is no difference In will here
only In opportunity.
But 'boozlng' has been rife among
the working-classes In general J.. 4
said By the critic, private and jour
naiistic.
We'll, the stimulus OF war lntenaihei
all passions. good and bad. In tim,
OF war all Is abnormal. All virtues
are intensified and. till the inevltabl,
level Is found, vices also are undul,
emphasized. II ~ only natural tina
war should call out moral opposites 10
fuller action than II possible to peace
should do n TIL the better spirit ! v
ems all that "a done and said; tin puri
patriotism possesses in some degree
all varieties OF mind and character.
What are We doing about thi
drink evli?"
Well, Its cure vas the most burn
ing question OF party politics In tim
Of peace. but since the beginning o
the war ordinary political c%0ntrover
sizes have ceased and new method
necessary TO the moment have bee
adopted for minimising the evil. ]
must be remembered that n spas
modic increase OF drink which Their
may be In any particular district
not due 70 vicious idleness and sell
indulgence. though in a small degre
that may play It's part. Some Of tn
heaviest drinkers. strange TO say, an
the hardest workers; are men VIII
toll every day In the weck and p,
forward an the energy they hayI
Great exhaustion follows; they reso.
TO drink 10 pull them up to the no.
NAL; and unhappiiy, Il sends the
for the momen beyond the norma
with a corresponding reaction. Owe
work, N a vast number OF cases.
the cause OF extra drinking. sad as
is. The government, however, hi
heen compelled 90 deal with All cas-
OF excessive drinking severely. l.