Evening journal., 1916-08-22
find DRINK BILL
CROWS IN britain
Nation Now Spends $780,
900 Daily for Intoxicants,
Say Temperance Ad-
vOcateS
RESTRICTIVE MEASURES
URGED FOR EFFICIENCY


pounds a day is being spent in this
country on drink, according 10 the
calculations Of persons employed by
the United Kingdom Alliance and
other temperance bodies It is fur
ther asserted that the figures for the
six months ended June 80 last show
that despite the regulations OF the
Control Board designed to restrict
consumption OF alcohol, the amount
spent In intoxicating liquor per cap
ita is considerably more than the
amount per capita during the first
six months of 1916
This Is Economy Week" and in the
schools and from the pulpits, at lee
lures and at extemporarized meetings
in factories. by pamphlets and adver-
tisements and appeals In the newspa-
pers the nation is being urged TO re-
duce expenditures in some shape or
form and 10 invest the money thus
saved in war loan script Among all
the appeals made TO the public none
has attracted 80 much attention as a
series Of articles contributed by Ar
chur Meo to The Daily Chronicle and
number OF provincial papers. Some
extracts present a striking picture:
THE drink bill since the war began
must have reached fS50.000,0O0. It
should s'agger q man and make him
blush with shame We must have
spent more money for drink than we
have spent on shells and we have gone
on spending while Mr.. Asquith's
words ring out that we need every
penny-worth OF strength TO win the
war. Men talk OF 100000 aeroplanes
10 end the war. but we shall soon
have spent enough on drink in war
time 10 buy 100000 aeroplanes, and
we must have spent enough already
10 have fed with cartridges every ma
chine gun on the British front since
the war began. I think II would be
true TO say that we have poured more
OF our financial strength into this
trade since August. 1914 than we
have actually fred away in France.
Here is a text for the people. They
are paying more for everything. and
they pay more for three reasons: BE-
cause produce. shipping, and labor are
scarce. There is not one of these
things in which drink Is not largely
responsible. Bread is dearer because
drink has used up corn enough during
the war TO feed the nation for 400
days and sugar enough to feed the
nation for 30 days Shipping Is scarce
because drink has used up shippinr
space equal 10 a fleet OF twenty very
Ik aIrt.. al A
10 labor. drink uses up the strength
of 100000 workers. and imposes a
carrying and lifting burden OF 100000
tons week on our roads and rail-
ways.
What would be the effect on prices
II all this produce and shipping and
labor we're released for useful things ?
What would be the effect in speeding
up the war il all OF the energy used
up by drink we're put into munitions ?
II would cheaper nearly everything:
it woulA shorten the war and cut
down our casualties. u would free
enough money to send 10000. 900
cartridges a day to the British front,
or three Queen Elizabeths a fortnight
10 Admiral Jellicoe.
Example Of Russia.
Russia, wanting strength and
money. t0o. found both i'm prohibition.
which has increased her efficiency 30
per cent. and intrenched her finances
as in a rock France. putting this
this thing away from her, has cover.
ed herself with immortal glory and
Hstonished the world. II was the
Kitchener way. but II Is Russia ant
ener, that follows Il. We fight OF
with our broken strength. We pa,
S5,0O0o00 a day 10 beat the Kaiser
and carry on Lord Kitchener's work
and for f1.000.0O0 week we licens,
a power that plays the Kaiser's gam,
by weakening England and keep
back the harvest OF Lord Kitchener,
work.
Mr.. Nee draws particular attention
20 what he calls "The danger TO tn,
navy"
1T Is over fifteen months" n,
writes. "since Admiral Tudor pre-
sented 10 the Cabinet his terribl,
record OF the effects OF drink on worl
being done for the Admiralty: and ,
week before that Admiral Jellico hin,
self had been so anxious that he sen
an urgent message begging that some
thing should be done. He hoped the
Admiralty would not think him exceed
Ing his sphere OF action. but the EN-
cheney OF the fleet was so affected
that he felt IL his duty to wire. Their,
are also the warnings OF Captair
Greatorex, Director OF Naval Eouip
ment who said the only solution sug
gest1on was 10 close. partially or TO
falling. all public houses. and o
Captain Bartelot. who begged fol
some leading statesman 10 speai
plainly on this subject. and pleaded
'orcibly for the total prohibition 70
spirits as the most effective act tha
,ould be taken TO win the war. add
Ing that any measure less drasti,
VIII be a curse. As If that were moi
nough We find The reports of dozen
~ official investigators an telling IN
same terrible tale.
Particularly tragic. In view OF ou
shortage of torpedo craft. Is the warn
ing of the superintendent OF the build
ing of torpedo boat destroyers. tba
some form of enlisted labor SCENE
he only wav 10 meet the difficulty M
less restrictions could be imposed a
public houses. There is on recor
90. the suggestion conveyed TO n
Admiralty by an officer overseeing II
construction of vessels on the Mort
ern Coast. that prohibition of sDiri