The- Western Temperance League has published a manifesto of which
it has sent copies to the Government- and to Members of Parliament in the West of England. It points out that the Liquor Trade is trying to secure the passage through Parliament of a Bill for uniformity of hours and the restoration of the bona fide traveller's privilege.- The Trade; it is added, is also vigorously demanding -reduction of licence -duties and of liquor taxation.— -Lord Eustlice 'Percy recently said that such changes- in the law would set aside legislation which was " deliberately -passed by' Parliament' after the War as an agreed- settlement." It is often complained that public hoUses are still in the grip of D.O.R.A., but as Lord' Eustrice Percy stated' in the speech from which we have Inge quoted,'- the ' Licensing Act of 1921; which wound-- up 'the Control' Board and ended the D.O.R.A.
regime in-'-regard drink, was ".a fair compromise after the-rehiVernineint of ' the day had cOnSulted- all interests." " Uniformity " has a pleasing sound, but it must be noted that those who ask for uniformity want to fix the later, not the earlier hour. - We earnestly support the appeal of the Western Temperance League. What Sir Alfred Hopkinson described in 1924 as the ".enormous. benefit to family life " which had resulted from the earlier hour of closing is an irrefutable argument.
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