rro rut EDITOR OP THE "SPECTATOR. ") Sin,—In your editorial remarks
on the letter of Mr. C. Bailey entitled " Drink and Economy" in your issue of the 4th bast. you say : " Our answer to Mr. bailey's suggestion that the new restrictions' have not decreased drunkenness is—Read the reports by the police and the statements of Magistrates. It is a case of common knowledge." As opposed to this, I send you a leading article front the Glasgow Herald of the 10th inst., by is /deb you will see that, so far as the Clyde district is concerned, the new liquor restrictions have effected no diminution of drinking, but the reverse. The truth is, more abundant wages sueens ways and means being found to obtain more drink, in spite of all restrictions. As one who " swore off " at the same time as the King renounced strong drink, I am heartily with you in your " Down Glasses I " campaign, seeing the terrible results from the use of spirits, and believe that nothing short of total prohibition of spirituous liquor (beer I would except) during the war will have any appreciable effect on the deplorable drinking habits of the working classes, with the accompanying idleness and slacking at a time when every ounce of energy is required to produce munitions of war. But the Government is afraid of the working man. What hope is there,' then, to get rid of this evil which is eating as a canker into the vitals of the nation ?-
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