THE SLAUGHTER OF ANIMALS [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
SIR,—Your powerful article on this subject contains a useful piece of advice. We find ourselves, after taking the lead in many humane reforms behind such countries as Sweden, Norway, Holland, Denmark and Germany, not to mention the Dominions, in our treatment of the animals that are driven every day through our streets to the slaughter-house. But this is a question on which, as you point out, those whose conscience and imagination are in revolt are not powerless. They can refuse to buy meat from butchers who do not use the humane killers. Ever since the publication of Mr. Gals- worthy's moving articles this plan has been tried with good results by private persons.. When • this practice becomes common, butchers are converted from their traditional con- servatism, and the pressure on local authorities becomes more effective, since the fear of the butchers is a serious force on elective bodies.
But this method works slowly, and the time has come, as you say, when the nation should be educated to demand a • general Bill. Holland passed a general law three years ago after the humane method had been in force for some years in several towns. We have had an optional law now for some years, and our own experience, quite apart from the conclusive experience of other countries, has shown that no conceivable hardship would be inflicted by passing a com- pulsory law and removing this scandal from our daily life. There is no reason why we should not follow the example set in factory reform and take effective steps to bring those places where the old careless cruelties survive alp to the standard of our best slaughter-houses. In this way we can rescue men from a degrading duty as well as animals from a needlessly horrible death. The President of the New York Veterinary Medical Society published a report three years ago on the great abattoirs of Europe, in order to rouse the conscience of America. No Englishman will read that report without feeling that this reform is as urgent as you describe it. Every animal should be killed in a better abattoir by men trained in the use of the humane instruments.—I am, Sir, &c., J. L. HAMMOND.
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