sm of man, that it
leaves the mind and body more exhausted than before--yet the stupidity
entrenched in high places cannot learn {143} the lesson. It trains the
armies on alcohol; it seeks to sustain the embattled hosts with alcohol.

IV

The great refusal of April 20, 1915, meant that this national
organisation for the training of the manhood of the race in the use of
alcohol went on unhindered. Of all the products of the great war this
is the most amazing. Let any one consider the situation and judge. In
every camp and barracks the visitor will find the State-established
monopoly of the canteen. The canteen is set up by the State, and the
taxpayer provides the building, rent and rate and tax free, for the
contractor, who runs the canteen. Abroad, the canteens are almost
exclusively in the hands of one co-operative society, whose board of
management is mainly composed of officers in the Service and some of
them recently heads of regimental institutes. 'Clearly there is a
great deal of "military" money invested in it. {144} Surely it is not
a good thing that a society of this kind should have the privilege of
making a good deal of money out of supplies to the private soldier.'[3]
Whatever be the system of administering the canteen, whether by the
regimental officers or by contractors, the fact remains that behind the
canteen are the resources of the nation. And the contractors of the
canteen supply in some cases amusements. 'I know of a camp where the
contractor supplied the singers, and not very desirable ones
either.'[4] Recreation is thus used to encourage the consumption of
alcohol by the army.

While the taxpayer is thus behind and supporting the canteen, the
counteracting forces are left to the support of the charitable. The
Y.M.C.A. or Church huts are there not by right but by favour, and
whatever attractions they provide are provided by means of voluntary
contributions. The State provides the means {145} of degeneration; it
is left to the voluntary effort of private citizens to provide the
means of healthful recreation. It is truly a strange world.

Do the parents of the youth of this country realise the situation?
Henceforth every boy when he reaches the age of eighteen is drafted
into a camp. And there the State makes provision for acclimatising him
to the atmosphere of alcohol. To frequent the canteen is manly, and
few will be able to resist. It means that by the million the future
cit