LIQUOR IN WAR-TIME
Sia,—May I urge that the War Emergency Liquor Control which was set up during the last war under the able chairmanship of Lord D'Abernon should be revived as quickly as possible? The
purpose of the Liquor Control Board was to grapple with intem- perance in any part of the country where the efficiency of the nation's war effort was being impaired, and it will be remembered by many how effectively and quickly the Board achieved this purpose.
If we are to prosecute the war with real effectiveness and to achieve victory in the shortest possible period of dine, we must be prepared to deal drastically with anything that is impairing the efficiency of the nation. Past experience of statistics indicates the close parallelism between high wages and excessive drinking, and it would seem to be the right course and in the best interests of the nation as a whole to introduce gradually, but in good time, those measures which were found of such value in the last war.
The measures taken by the Control Board during the last war were:— 1. Limitation of the sale of spirits. 2. Curtailment of hours of sale.
3. Prohibition of treating and of incentives to excessive consumption. 4. Facilities for non-alcoholic refreshment, notably the establishment of canteens for munition workers.
Our experience in Carlisle (and this was also, I believe, the general experience elsewhere) during the last war showed clearly what an excellent result was achieved by these measures. There is no doubt that the British people are prepared to respond to any reasonable war-time restrictions if they think that by so doing it will make a real contribution to a speedier victory.—Yours faithfully,
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