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The Fiddlers; Drink in the Witness Box cover

The Fiddlers; Drink in the Witness Box

Chapter 28: PLAY THE GAME
By Arthur Mee
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Drugs/Alcohol/PharmacologySociology

About This Book

A polemical wartime pamphlet argues that the sale and manufacture of alcoholic drink actively harmed the national war effort by diverting foodstuffs, wasting shipping, and weakening manpower and charity. It assembles parliamentary returns, press examples, and statistics to accuse the trade and government of failing to restrain consumption, contrasts stricter prohibition measures adopted elsewhere, and criticizes policy as inconsistent and inadequate. The text urges stricter controls or prohibition on drink as necessary to conserve food, speed victory, and uphold public duty.

Your Share in the Food Crisis

The Food and Money Wasted on Drink in Our Great Towns

Estimated from August 1914 to April 1917 inclusive by George B. Wilson, B.A., Compiler of the National Drink Bill
  Drink Bill Grain Lost Sugar in Beer
Tons lb.
United Kingdom £510,000,000 4,400,000 762,000,000
London £83,000,000 693,000 120,000,000
Edinburgh £3,200,000 31,000 5,300,000
Dublin £2,600,000 29,000 5,000,000
Glasgow £10,500,000 101,000 17,400,000
Manchester and Salford £11,000,000 92,000 15,900,000
Birmingham £9,900,000 82,000 14,200,000
Liverpool £8,800,000 73,000 12,600,000
Sheffield £5,400,000 45,000 7,800,000
Leeds £5,300,000 44,000 7,600,000
Bristol £4,200,000 35,000 6,000,000
West Ham £3,400,000 28,000 4,900,000
Bradford £3,300,000 28,000 4,800,000
Hull £3,300,000 27,000 4,700,000
Newcastle £3,100,000 26,000 4,500,000
Nottingham £3,100,000 26,000 4,500,000
Portsmouth £2,800,000 23,000 4,400,000
Stoke £2,800,000 23,000 4,000,000
Leicester £2,700,000 22,000 3,800,000
Cardiff £2,100,000 18,000 3,100,000
Bolton £2,100,000 18,000 3,000,000
Croydon £2,100,000 17,000 3,000,000
Sunderland £1,700,000 14,000 2,500,000
Oldham £1,700,000 14,000 2,500,000
Birkenhead £1,600,000 13,000 2,200,000
Blackburn £1,500,000 13,000 2,200,000
Brighton £1,500,000 13,000 2,200,000
Plymouth £1,500,000 12,000 2,100,000
Derby £1,400,000 12,000 2,100,000
Middlesbrough £1,400,000 12,000 2,100,000
Stockport £1,400,000 12,000 2,100,000
Norwich £1,400,000 12,000 2,100,000
Southampton £1,400,000 12,000 2,000,000
Swansea £1,400,000 12,000 2,000,000
Gateshead £1,400,000 11,000 2,000,000
Preston £1,400,000 11,000 1,900,000
Coventry £1,300,000 11,000 1,900,000
Huddersfield £1,300,000 10,000 1,800,000
Halifax £1,200,000 10,000 1,700,000

PLAY THE GAME

There is one week’s bread in 18 pints of beer
There is one week’s sugar in 16 pints of beer

The man who drinks 3 pints a day drinks another man’s rations.