Fifty years ago
DRINK AND THE STATE Sir, — In his condemnation of both the national and private sale of alcoholic drinks to the public, Mr. Cecil Heath writes that the making of any profit out of drink — in other words the sale of it at all — is an exploitation of the weak- ness of human nature. This is a one- sided, illogical and quite unfair argument which could be applied to the sale of many things besides drink. In the great majority of cases it is a question of making profit out of the reasonable needs and centuries-old habits of human nature, which is quite a legiti- mate form of trading. Of course, Mr. Heath as General Secretary of the Unit- ed Kingdom Alliance, like a good Gen- eral, attacks his enemy at that point of his armour which appears weak. It is not, however, a weak point if examined with an unbiased mind. The very many use and need drink. It is only the very few who abuse it. It would be unfair and contrary to the principles of freedom for all to penalise the many because of the weakness of the few. Like the tares they must grow up and take their chances with the good grain. Those who have used drink in a sensible way will benefit in the end. Those who have abused it will be sufferers at the "harvest." Yours, &c., R.G. Fife The Spectator 19 October 1945
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