Arizona republican., 1918-01-10
EnaIand's Food and Drink

With the more rigid food rationng which has been found necessary in England the drink question has become more acute. The only objection which has been heard in this country to the restriction upon our use wheat in order that there might be more of it for the allies was that considerable part of the grain of which would be deprived by self denial would be used in England in the manufacture of spirits and beer This objection more strongly urged after we had adopted legislation to prevent such use of grain in this country.
 At that time though, pointed out that the British government confronted by a condition which did not admit of entertainment of theories It was no time argue concerning the evil of the drink habit in England to compcate matters there by trying to reform it The fact that the work ing men of England demanded their drinks and threatened to strike if they not forthcoming. Rural workers would bring agricultural enterprise to stop if they deprived of their beer, or even if the quality quantity of it was seriously nterfered with. That they would be better off without it. We understand but the British government could not convince them of that and could not risk an uprising.
 That was the situation last summer when for the moment there grain enough for both food and drink The only people then disposed to agitate the question of eliminating the drink supply were the temperance folks, who placed principle above even what seemed to be a war necessity. But the
  no interest in the moral question, demanding tion by the government which will the food supply at the expense of the drink supply.
 Stirred by the food ratoning program writer in the London Chronicle says:
 "Thus much shall you eat and more' The of liberty has brought us at last to that No patriot in these islands is there who will not let them take the bread from mouths for victory but this stage which arrive with food is truly the shadow of tragedy passing the land. For it is clear that the government has made it's mind that there is one thing it not do to win the It knows should win quickly if drink were out it's way and it has made up it's mind that it is not worth while to it. We talk of Boloism, but there is Boloism like that which allows private trade to weaken the United Kingdom now
 Do people understand how drink is jeopardiz ing victory? The Participating race must win the war everywhere outside these islands it is fling ing out drink to do it; and what do see at home? We see government willing that children should go short of bread rather than men should go short Of beer Food cotton paper-all the decent things must go while beer goes on it's profiteering way For our people the is almost too bitter to endure; for this drink trade it is almost too good to last
 The list of surrenders to drink make up q document that would be incredible to history, but let face plainly the facts as to food in this fourth winter of the We faced with the prospect of compulsory bread rations with all the enormous labor they must involve-why? For no other reason in the world than to bolster up drink.
 Let that be clearly understood by this nation which, for tne first time in it's history of thousand years, is to be told by law how much bread it shall eat. Let the nation know this. that one thing and thing alone makes necessary this compulslon: 1t is the destruction of bread for beer.
 There is not enough food for the allies, and the British government is wasting a thousand mil lion pounds of bread year. It is drowning away 8 hundred food hour, and it is throwing il away because it is afraid to take bold stroke that would it. It hopes to beat the German army and it is afraid of it's people
 What would any government of plain men do seeing nation growing short of food? They would stop every of waste and destruction. But tho British government is helping destruction Fol three years our three governments allowed the destruction of five million of food drink: nearly year this government with all the warning. of the past before it. has allowed drink to drag u to the edge of famine.