UP GIN LANE
Sta,—There must surely be some curious "inside story" about the superabundance of gin now in the windows of wine merchants through- out the kingdom. Owing, we were told, to grain shortages and difficulties with bottles, this commodity has been scarce to black-marketing point for six or seven years ; but since the middle of May last conspicuous drunkards like myself have suddenly found themselves pressed to buy, over the counter, whole cases of their favourite brand, quaint-shaped bottles and all. Mothers, I fear, are being ruined right and left.
Is this an early start by the Government to lull its Tory critics into insensibility before the 1950 General Election? Is it a triumphant vindi- cation of economic planning, or one of the last kicks of free enterprise?
is it M-aid, or merely non-exportable exports? Who will claim the credit, if indeed there is any credit to be claimed for, allocating excess quantities of grain to distilleries, while bread and poultry feeding-stuffs are still rationed? Would one of your distiller readers enlighten us? And how long is the flood to last?—! am, Sir, your obedient servant, MERVYN FIORDER.
Gerald Duckworth, Ltd., 3 Henrietta Street, W.C.2.
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