[TO THE 'EDITOR OP .THE " SEEM/HM."2 S114—Your recent articles
on this subject propose the only solution of the drink 'question that the Labour Movement will accept, and therefore, unless the Prohibitionists are able to impose their policy upon the working man of the country in disregard of his views, they propose the only immediately practicable solution.
The Secretary of the II.K.A., who opposes public ownership, is a gifted disputant, but the more one listens to the U.K.A. the more it appears to resemble the philosopher of the 'Shaw play who-answered all his opponents but lost all his followers. 'One of those lost folloWers is Mr. R. B. Batty; .another is Sir Thomas Whittaker, M.P., who has lately -pronounced a judgment on the work of the U.K.A. which might well be its epitaph. JElut the most notable recession of the U.K.A. is not among the leaders but among the rank-and-file of the Temperance Movement. The utter failure of the Prohibitionists to do more than enrich the brewers has convinced thousands of -working-men reformers that it is time-to preach a less barren gospel than that of the U.K.A. These men are accordingly joining hands with those of the Labour 'Movement who have always believed in the policy of public ownership, and this policy is now to be 'vigorously urged.
What is to be said against it? Mr. Wilson's fear that the drink trade in the possession of the community will be more potent for political corruption than it is at present is surely far-fetched. It was not " agitators " who forced the Government during the war to go back upon the decision 'to nationalize -the drink trade to which they are known to have deliberately come! Nor was it " agitators " who wrung out of the-Government the reduction in the Licence Duties, amounting to two and a half millions .annually, which .Mr. Austen
Chamberlain has admitted that the publicans, though their profits stagger credulity, continue to enjoy.
In his reference to the "vast army of employees" in the drink trade who will coerce the community that employs them, Mr. Wilson falls into nightmare. Under State ownership this army need not be vast, and will certainly be much less. numerous than now. But assuming that it attempts to apply political pressure, for what object will it apply it if not to increase wages, which will correspondingly increase the price of drink, or to reduce hours of work, which will diminish the sale of drink? Would not Mr. Wilson approve of political pressure which produced these results?
Mr. Wilson's other fear that the Trade will exact an unreasonably high price from the community is more substantial, but to reassure him there are the proposals of the various Commissions which have considered this question during the war, and the quickened concern of all classes as to the state of the public finances. And as I see it, the danger, such as it is, of an exaggerated payment will be extinguished with the passing, not long to be deferred, of the present Government.—I am,
Sir, &c., CHARLES Sums,
Labour M.P. for Kingswinfonts
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