POLITICS AND DRINK.
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—You know much better than I can tell you that the prospects of any social reform, however desirable, are injured rather than advanced by exaggeration. If, as I anticipate, another temperance campaign is imminent, your readers will, as always, look to the Spectator, whatever its own policy may be, for protection against mere appeals to prejudice. On that ground may I venture, in connection with Lady Astor's article in your issue of December 4th, to show my ticket and make an offer ?
I have had a substantial interest in a brewery for over thirty years. Its name is Thomas Wethered and Sons, of Marlow. It is the only company of which I am, or ever have been, a director ; and I am its chairman. I believe we subscribe to all the central organizations of the brewing trade which Lady Astor complains are among those that are " endangering the very existence of straight politics in England." If she is right I desire to cease subscribing to them. But I will make my offer clear in a moment.
Lady Astor refers to the " subsidizing and influencing of apparently independent individuals and societies—even of some papers, and of persons In local or national politics " by " the Trade." This is an indictment with several counts. As far as I am one of the parties charged I am entitled either to be proceeded against, first, on the most serious of them, or to be acquitted on that count. It must be obvious to anyone who has been educated in this country that, while most of the charges contained in Lady Astor's words, as quoted above, may make some explanation of whatever evidence she has desirable, they are as nothing compared with the suggestion that " apparently independent " persons in " national politics " are subsidized. Unless Lady Astor's phraseology is carefully designed to mislead plain people, which I do not suppose, this can only mean that we pay money in order to obtain votes in Parliament. My offer is this : If Lady Astor does not repudiate my interpretation of her words and will answer the following question in your columns; and if you, Sir, after considering (I do not say • publishing) any rejoinder I may wish to make, decide that her charge has been made out, I will undertake that my company, at any rate, shall either withdraw all its subscriptions to the defence organizations I have referred to, if they are implicated, or else that I will withdraw from its board.
The question' is as follows : What are the names of the appa- rently independent persons in national politics who have been subsidized, and the names of the organizations or individuals who paid the subsidlei
It will be time enough when this major matter has been 'disposed' of to ask for particulars of the " subsidized allied bodies " which are bypnotizing, the public with " the brewers' cry " of the reformed public-house ; but I daresay the public- house 'trust companies will speak for themselves.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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