quired skilled hands and clear brains had to be done by
trembling hands and muddled brains. The War Minister told us that
there was a wastage of 10 per cent. of our munition-making power. He
told us, too, that between thirty and forty days of the whole working
force of the country were lost every year,--what by? Drink.

'And meanwhile our chaps out here were killed by the thousand, because
of shortage of munitions. Is it any wonder that the war drags on? Is
it any wonder that we are not gaining ground? We were told months ago
that we should shorten the war by blockading Germany, by keeping food
from the nation. Now I hear rumours that there is going to be a
shortage of food in our own country. Whether that will be the case or
not, I don't know. If there is a shortage, it will be our own fault.
I see by the English newspapers that bread is becoming dearer every
day, and people say that there'll soon be a scarcity, and all the time
millions upon millions of bushels of grain intended for man's food is
being wasted in breweries and distilleries. Hundreds of thousands of
tons of sugar, which are almost essential to human life, are utilized
for man's damnation; and all by the consent of the Government.

'When the war broke out, the King signed the pledge, so did Lord
Kitchener, so did the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Did the people
follow? They only laughed. I tell you, Luscombe, every distillery and
every brewery is lengthening the war, and I sometimes doubt whether we
shall ever win it,--until the nation is purged of this crime! Yes, we
are making vast preparations, and we have raised a fine Army. But all
the time, we are like a man trying to put out a fire by pouring water
on it with one hand, and oil with the other.'

'But, my dear chap,' I said, 'these brewers and distillers have put
their fortunes into their business, and they employ thousands of hands.
Would you rob them of their properties, and would you throw all these
people out of work?'

'Great God! man,' was his reply, 'but the country's at stake, the
Empire's at stake! Truth, righteousness, liberty are at stake! If we
don't win in this war, German devilry will rule the world, and shall
the country allow the Trade, as it calls itself, to batten upon the
vitals of the nation? That's why I am bewildered. I told you just now
that perhaps I look at things differently from what I ought to look at
them. I have lost all memory of my past life, and