Bishop Tugwell, whose See is West Equatorial Africa, con tributed
to the Times last Saturday a lucid and temperate summary of the ease against liquor importation into Nigeria and other provinces. He indicated that Prohibition is not only possible—Southern Nigeria subsisted on 94,000 gallons of alcohol in 1917, as compared with 1,808,000 in 1913—but that it would be welcomed by the educated natives. Already four- fifths of the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria is " dry "- "to the entire satisfaction of the people." Bishop Tugwell quoted Sir Frederick Lugard in support of the contention that Prohibition will not militate against sound administration and commercial development ; revenue can be raised without the drink traffic. To defend the West African liquor trade on the ground of " the liberty of the subject " is to defend the intro- duction of the means of assured racial and individual degradation and premature death. It should not be impossible to allow European residents to obtain rationed alcohol, while withholding it from those to whom it is a quick poison ; but even if it were impossible, the safety of the community is the supreme law, in West Africa and elsewhere.
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