SUBM
(To THE EDITOR or THE " SPECTATOR.") Ste,—We are being besought by the Government posters and adver- tisements to "wear old clothes and old boots." But why is it reason- able or fair to single out drapers or bootmakers? They should rise in a body and ask " Why?" but they submit. Instead of adver. tisements to say " Take fewer drinks " we have every possible facility given to waste the money wanted so badly; and if the money-waste were all, it would be at least some consolation. 'Pure instances of these facilities came by chance lately. A young officer at an English training camp writes to ate incidentally : " The officers here are not allowed to spend more than £5 a month is drink, irrespective of mess allowance " (and of course Saturday " leaves," &c.). What an extraordinary admission, though I pre- sume it is well known and quietly submitted to. Again, I over- heard a conversation and pass the gist of it on. In a large ship- ping yard the men are paid weekly in such a way that they have to go into a public-house close by to change the notes given. This is to save clerking work. At another part of the works the wages are paid in a public-house, and the men have to take a drink before they leave. I suppose these business men knew what they were talking about and others know, and submit. And so it goes on. Soldiers are injured, and injure others. Separation allow- ances are spent in public-houses. Children, " the hope of the nation," are starved and maimed for life by neglect. Thousands of extra policemen are made necessary to safeguard our streets. We are all on short rations, and we all meekly submit. But there is a growing discontent among the working people, and I now hear it said : " What is the use of our saving food when there never was so much drinking in the country ? " It is to be hoped that this murmur will grow into a storm of indignation, and that the privileged Trade, supported so carefully by Parliament, will be forced to submit to the nation's demands and lose its grip on
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