Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-05
BRITISH OFFICIAL
SNUBS:: DRY GROUP
Lansbury Defends Rum Sale
in Parks and Bests
Lady Aston.
Nv Radio to Fhe Star.

BY Radio to Fhe star
LONDON July 4,-The House of
cemmens temperance group, including
Lady Astor, suffered a severe snuepihg
this week when 1t formed deputaIloh
and protested to George Lansbury, nfst
commissioner of works, against his plan
to allow liquor to be served in res
taurant in Hampton Court, the Palace
grounds and other royal and public
parks, Lansbury, veteran Labor ieader
and member of Parliament, who is now
in charge of all public building and
grounds which are nationally owned,
increased his fame since ne look tne
present Job in the second Labor govern
nent by the humane way he has admin
tstrated the post.
One of his first innovations was the
establishment of mixed bathing in Hyde
Park in the Serpentine, despite the OPP
nositien of a considerable section OF the
public-epposition which, however, has
been silenced in the view of the pepu-
larity of the new facilities there,
A few weeks ago Lansbury, who IS
personally a teetetaler and nonsmeker,
but also a firm believer in personal ITO.
erty as regards the drink question, and
IA a great admirer of the continental
cafe and beer garden system, decided
Be- grant q license to restaurant IN
Hampton Court Grounds, at the same
time letting it be known that he was
planning to permit licensed restaurants
In other public parks at present dry:
AS a consequence a large deputation OF
dry members of Parliament demanded
and obtained an interview with Lans-
bury in the committee room OF the
House of Commons on Wednesday night
to protest against his action.
Present Dry Cause.
n. Hudson and Left Jones on be-
half of the dry deputatien presented
the nrohibitienists' case, complaining
that Lansbury had not consulted Par
lament In the matter and claiming that
the dry regime in the royal parks was
an old standing rule, and DR.. A.: Salter'
another dry member OF Parliament
added his threatening word. saying,
"Don't you realize the strength OF uie
ennosition which has been created9
Women's societies all over the country
are on the move already
Iansbury, however, stuck to his guns,
first denying any necessity to consult
Parliament or the cabinet, eentending 1t
vas a purely administrative matter.
He then explained his position re-
earding the drink question, declaring:
"When I was younger, Thought we
could compel people to be Dettef py
have lived long enough to elarn that
aThou shalt not is not as good law
A Thou shalt Id rather the people
choose for themselves what they should
eat and drink In my own house no
body can get strong drink, but l do not
believe I am morally, physically ana
mentally any better than the men ana
women who drink. That being SO.
cannot take the view that 1t is very
AZ IS Frin DRINK
much There are greater evils than
getting drunk. Distortion and misrep-
resentation probably are greater evils
and hurt very much worse. / will go
on advocating 1t Is better man should
drink his beer or whisky in place his
wife and children can sit with him than
la a place where they are shut out.
Refuses to BE Interrupted.
81 can understand those who say
Prohibit tits an unelean thing. But
once you say 1t should be used and
allow the chancellor of the excheauer
1t Is the duty of the state to see that
the facilities under which 1t allows
drink to be used and consumed should
be much more clean and wholesome
than at the present time"
Then Lady Aston interjeeted: II I'M
derstand your point of view, but think
it is tragic thing that yeu-" Lans-
bury interrupting, I'VE really cannot
have it all over again" Lady Aston
then sat down. but few minutes later
arose again, saying. you have opened
the door to the drink trade, which is the
only thing the temperance reformers
have been fighting" and was continue
ing when Lansbury retorted, You really
ought not to take advantage of me like
this" To which she replied, IT think
you ought to resign"
She then left the room to keep an
other engagement. Mr.. Lansbury said
I'VE can understand Lady Astor's fury,
but we do not always understand her
consistency"
Copyright, 1917