From ‘Prohibition in Scotland during the war’, The Spectator, 13 February 1915:
WE note with great interest the movement which is gathering strength in Scotland in favour of prohibition during the war. Let us say at once that, provided a well-marked majority of the representatives of the Scottish constituencies support the movement, we not only see no reason why their wishes should not be fulfilled, but we see good reason why the Government, at a time when there is plenty of Parliamentary leisure, should take up the matter and let Scotland have what she wishes. If demanded, a Referendum clause could and should be added to the Bill, for clearly it would be hope- less to try to enforce a measure of this kind unless the majority of the population as well as of the representatives were in favour of it. Personally, we have no hesitation in saying that, if prohibition during the war is voted for Scotland and works well, we should be strongly inclined to follow the example of the sister-kingdom, even though the need is admittedly not so apparent here as it is in the North.
At present the economic waste caused by drunkenness in Scotland is enormous. We are not going to attempt to calculate how many hours in the working year are lost through the inefficiency caused by alcohol, but unquestionably in the aggregate the total is huge. A sober Scotland will mean a greater wealth-producing Scotland. Lastly, even if when the war is over Scotland gives up prohibition and once more flings open the doors of the public-house, she will have done herself a great deal of good by the temporary prohibition. Thousands of men and women throughout the length and breadth of the land will have realized how perfectly easy it is to get on without the consumption of alcohol. The new experience will at first seem miraculous, and then the miracle will seem one well worth maintaining. Perseus who have learnt the spiritual and also the material advantages of temperance, or, rather, of abstinence, will not want to replace their necks in the yoke. To borrow a phrase from Sophocles, they will feel that they have escaped from a wild beast, and will not wish to be once more within the reach of his teeth and claws. Others, again, even if they do go back to moderate drinking, will always have before them the knowledge that to knock off when health or pocket requires it will nut be such an appalling and terrible experience. They will learn, in effect, that man does not live by whisky alone, and that nobody dies because ho becomes a water-drinker or tea-drinker for six months or a year. Some Scotsmen will perhaps tell us that we are proposing that unfortunate Scotland should be made to do what we do not venture to propose should be done in England. That is not our thought. We should like prohibition during the war for Scotland because her need appears to be greatest, but we will say frankly that we even more ardently desire it because we believe that it would prove a success, and because we think that in that event it would be almost impossible for Parliament to refuse a like blessing during the war to England, and, if the Irish Members would allow, to Ireland also.
A century on and Scotland still has a drink problem, says Fraser Nelson.
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