The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-03-28
Lady Astor Tells Why She
 Is Fighting Strong Drink
Has Been Against It Since She Was 12 Years Old-Cul
 tured Englishmen Who Drink Moderately Are ; Hardest to Convince
By sIARGARET wALTER

EFT WALTER
 i strong down here. We know our town,
 and you've got to do what we say
 That was staggering for me. The req
 son I wanted to run for Parliament was because wanted to help England to get what she wants. and what she wants is l prosperity. plenty of healthy children 1 to take the place of her million boys lost
 in, the war, and a happy and contended working class.
 And I don't think she is going to get
 those things as long as drink is showed down the throats of working men and women. and as long as. they live in snualor and breed children b stand at the doors of saloons waiting for their mothers to reel out
 Well. there's one thing the English people like better than anything else, and
 that's sport They like fair play, so tackled nay constituency right in the
 Unionist Club, where the men were sit
 ting around with their grog in mugs.
 told 'em just how it stood--that I was
 against liquor and the liquor interests
 that was going to stand for clean and
 decent homes. for healthy children and
 happy women. In other words, I gave
 them what my family calls one of my
 little temperance lectures right there on
 the spot <"
 Did they stand for it?v I asked
 knowing the sea front apubs" of Ply mouth and their nightly toll of murder
 and crime.
 They stood for it, or I wouldn't be.
 here. Make no mistake about that I'm
 ln Parliament to light liquor, sent by the fighting men of Devon"
 Weren't you a bit timid just at first.
 being an American, too, and knowing that everybody is sneering at prohibi tion?"
 ~of course. I was scared It took every scrap of courage I had. and the only way I got started was by remem- pering those fighting men of Devon who mad sent me, and by just trusting to the Lord.
 mean it. We get strength to do what "eV We got to do. so I got on my feet sonenow and then didn't have any more eioupie, l only had to talk facts The reason stuck mostly to the effects of urank on women and children is because the best way to make an Englishman oo what you want him to do is to ask h'Hi to do It Tor somebody else He'll kill you II you order him to do it for his own good"
 Nobody in the world can beat the nnsnsh working man as a father. I've so. the proofs of that if anybody ehal- ehses me But he's dead ignorant about he effects of drink on children IT. basn,t ven the advantage of the upper classes ,o , tel nm the truth about alcohol-he loesn know it's race poison-tflat it's | irink and the effects of drink that are responsible for the terrible infant death 1 ate. All that scientific information has 'een Kept looked up among the profes- | ', ~, ana doctors and when they tried to en whole pack of drink interest | Lounds would set up showl of Give inc | 5ritish workman his freedom ana his f ,eer' It isn't the British working man | Vho sad that. hes been busy winninx ne war. While he was away the liquoT interests in Parliament kept up con lant rumpus against the control board hats what they did in the great war.
 m telling everybody who will listen me 1acts, and no matter what it is I'm or the people, the party. that thinks as
 do believe in state purchase and local ption for this country It will cost about DVoo000 pounds but goodness, it s cheap | the price Think what it would mean } this country. The English people will ght against any odds, they don't whine ley plug along just doing their job. But hen they've done it they want to see re- Hts What do they see now? Crime doub- ng Tn the last three months, twice the f'ipCt VI tcifittlOllS dInOB women ana rice among men since control was re- -xed. No houses, unemployment. dear 'od and profteering on necessaries of fe
 The difference between this country ad America is that in America it was 1 le middle classes that used to drink l Virginia no man was considered a unless he got pretty regularly -unS. So naturally when the intellect t.If. F<S., ! -1z.- 4rL- ,st stopped drinking. Over here it's sver been so. Gentlemen in England all ink but they don't get drunk: they link it bad form. It's only the lower asses that get drunk and that's why e most bitter opponents of the control
 liquor are among the upper classes. ho, knowing how to control themselves. i'll not tolerate prohibition. But I'm heer to say that with drink and with education and recrea- on for all, England would be that arthly Paradise we women are always canning about"
 What are you going to speak about .yt in the House? I ventured I'm going to keep quiet unless spoken
 I'm no elocutionist or public agitator. u know By nature I'm a domestic 'man. like to stay at home and mind 7 T-children and my own business, but 1 ink can be of use onthis drink ques- n and so I'm out for anything I can
 :"
 Shall you make women's subjects a ecial cause of yours?'' I don't think there are any special 'men's causes. I think that every sub t that vitally concerns women con- ms men just as much. beginning with ildren.'
 t looks as if Lady Astor had pretty II cured the people of England of con I ering her politics as- huge joke It $ significant that not word was said