LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

AN IMPERIAL PLEDGE CAMPAIGN: A CALL TO • CHIVALRY.

[TO THE EDITOR OF TES " SPEOTRTOR.1

Stn, —Economy and efficiency cry out for a " D.M.G " crusade. " Drink Must Go ! " The response to the King was not as general as was hoped ; but this was due, among other out- standing reasons, to lack of concerted action and organization on the part of the great Societies of the country, which hardly knew how to make the most of the unprecedented and sudden action of His Majesty. Perhaps the time has come to organize. Apart from national prohibition, which we are not likely to get from the present Government, I think that an Imperial Pledge Crusade will prove the most immediately effective method of facing the situation. May I venture to put a scheme before you, with all diffidence ? I would not make such a venture had you not so generously referred to the " Catch-my-Pal " crusade in your article on December 18th.

We need economy and efficiency to win the war, and we shall need them just as much when the war is won. When our best men are coming back there will be such a recrudescence of drunkenness and its allied debaucheries, and of inefficiency and waste, as will make us wish many of our men had died at the hands of the Huns, unless we do something drastic with the drink and drinking customs now. I would much rather my son should fall before a German Hun than before a British publican. If the war is short, and drink remains, there will be moral disaster among the men. If the war is long, and drink remains, there will be not only moral disaster, but also financial bankruptcy. Our time to act is now. There is a tide in our temperance affairs just now, and if we do not take it at the flood we shall have to write, " LATE I LATE ! Too LATE ! " on the tombstone of our muddled enthusiasms.

We must start and organize an Imperial Crusade of Chivalry among our moderate drinkers. Such a crusade will help every other movement now working, or about to work. Moderate thinkers are the crux of the whole situation. They are the mainstay of " the trade " which is our most efficient cause of inefficiency. If all the moderate drinkers would follow the example of the King, the breweries, distilleries, and public- houses would have to close within a year. The King resorted to chivalry when he " imposed upon himself " total abstinence for public reasons. He saw that chivalry is the direct road to economy and efficiency. If moderate drinkers will only be chivalrous like him, we shall find that personal prohibition will probably be better than national prohibition during the period of the war, as it will not engender strife at Westminster, and it will help problems, like " compensation," automatically to solve themselves. We expect chivalry at home as well as abroad. Why should a man who goes into a public-house to indulge in drink expect another man to go into a trench for him and indulge in dealth ? The Empire expects every man to do his duty, and never so much as to-day. Every man must " do his bit." Every drinker can do his bit by dropping his " drop." Every drinker can say, as an Irishman in Coleraine said lately, when asked to take a drink: " No thank ye: Me an' the King have quit." Chivalry at home is surely not dead among the drinkers, preserved in spirits of wine. Surely it is alive, preserved in spirits of men, who will give up their glass for an Empire's glory.

In the " Catch-my-Pal " crusade the drinker was expected to give up his drink for the sake of a pal. And what a response ! Now every drinker is expected to give up his drink for the sake of an Empire ! What will be the response ? That crusade was largely conducted by those who had been drinkers. Can we not have an Imperial Crusade largely conducted by our present drinkers ? If they will respond to the call of chivalry, they will find more exhilaration in chivalry than in alcohol, as they gather in legions around their King. And if with them all the great Societies of the Empire will resolve themselves into legions ! What a sight for our King ! What an inspiration to our Empire ! What a joy to our God ! We are out against a big foe, and we must do a big thing in a systematic way. We need four millions to fight the Germans. We need forty millions to fight the drink, if we are to have an overwhelming victory both at home and abroad.

Let us mobilize ! Let the Church lead the way ! In this crusade every minister can be a combatant. He already has his commission. His congregation is his company. It may take more chivalry to lead a congregation against the drink than a company against the Germans. If " like a mighty army moves the Church of God " against our Empire's greatest enemy, by the simple expedient of avoiding the drink, the other Legions will muster as never before, and we shall have chivalry, economy, and efficiency, which will make us Britons irresistible in the name of God and Liberty.

I should be greatly obliged if those who agree with the pro- positions here set forth and with the "Suggested Constitution" would communicate direct with me. They should address letters: " The Rev. Robert J. Patterson, West Central Hotel, Southampton Row, London, W.C."—I am, Sir, &c.,

ROBERT J. PATTERSON (Suggested Name) THE LEGIONS OF EMPIRE. (Suggested) CONSTITUTION. A.—Name.

The Legions of Empire (Official). The Legions (Popular).

B.—Object.

(1) The Mobilization of the Forces of Imperial Efficiency and Economy in an Imperial Pledge-Signing Campaign. (2) To organize every Municipality and Community through their Religious, Social Welfare, Brotherhood, Labour, Friendly, and other Societies, for the enrolment of so many new members in the ranks of Total Abstinence, during the period of the war, as shall secure the Economy and Efficiency necessary, along this particular line, to win the war.

C.—Declaration.

To maintain the Inheritance of Empire obtained, for us by our Fathers, I, a patriotic British Citizen, following the example of my King, solemnly promise to abstain (or to continue to abstain) from all intoxicating drinks as beverages during the period of the war ; and I will try to get another to do the same. As far as possible I will devote what I thus save to our War Loans.

D.—Organization.

(1) It is recommended that a public meeting, arranged by the concerted action of the permanent Religious, Moral, Social, and other agencies in the municipality or district, be held, at which a Legion Council, consisting of representatives of these various agen- cies, together with as many non-abstainers as can be secured to act, shalt be formed for the purpose of dividing the locality into sections and organizing a house-to-house Crusade in such manner that all persons in the locality shall be asked to become members of the Legions. (2) It is recommended that use be made of a Declaration Form, for individuals or for families, as the case may be, and that these forms be systematically distributed from house to house on a specified date, and systematically collected on a specified date.

(3) For the distribution and collection of the forms, Boy Scouts, Boys' Brigades, Church Lads' Brigades, and kindred organizations may be employed, together with such other volunteer forces as can be mobilized.

(4) In districts where there are no Societies organized outside the Churches, or where there are not sufficient members of such Societies to carry out the Crusade, it is recommended that the canvass be undertaken by the Congregations. (5) It is recommended that, before and after the distribution of the declaration forms, as many public meetings as shall be con- sidered advisable by the Legion Council, and addressed, preferably, by persons who have hitherto been non-abstainers, shall be held for the formation of the public opinion and enthusiasm necessary to encourage those who might hesitate to sign the declaration. Where such meetings cannot be organized, it is suggested that encouragement be given from the pulpits of the various churches.

(8) It is recommended that there be a " Down Glasses " Sunday observed in every Church, Bible Class, Adult School, or other Sunday meeting, to inaugurate a "Down Glasses" week in the locality, during which all persons desiring the success of the movement will try to get as many of their friends and acquaintances as possible to sign the declaration.

(7) Every person who signs the declaration in the presence of a friend, and returns it to the Legion Council, shall be a Member of the Legions.

(8) It is suggested that every member, at the time of handing in his or her declaration form, shall contribute (?) towards the expenses of the Crusade locally and at headquarters. (9) All declaration forms shall be scrutinized and tabulated by the Legion Council, or by a Committee or Committees appointed by the Council for this purpose, and returns shall be made to head- quarters.

(10) It is to be understood that the object of the Crusade is not to form a new Society or to gain members for any Society, but, in the spirit of the King's Declaration, to increase the Economy and Efficiency of the Empire. With this object in view, it is expected that all the Churches and Societies will co-operate with enthusiasm.

(11) Every Society taking part in the campaign may, by such action, and under its own distinctive title, become a Legion, e.g. :— Ecclesiastical : Church of England Legion, Wesleyan Legion, Presby- terian Legion, Father Mathew Legion, &c., &c. Friendly : Rechabite Legion, Sons of Temperance Legion, Sons of Phoenix Legion, &c., &o. Temperance : Good Templar Legion, Women's Legion, National Temperance Legion, &c., &o. Brotherhood, Labour, &c., &c. The Army Legion ; The Navy Legion ; The Munitions Legion, &c. (12) The United Forces in any specific division of the Empire shall be called Legions, e.g.:—The English Legions, The Scots Legions, The Irish Legions, The Welsh Legions, The Canadian Legions, &c., &c.

(13) The Legions shall be Non-Political and Non- Sectarian.

(14) Members shall be expected to wear tho Badge of the Legions during the period of the war.

It is suggested that a National Council representative of the various Churches, Societies, and Unions referred to in the constitution be held in London for deliberation and the inauguration of the Crusade.

GOD SAVE THE KING.