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d； the judges all say the same thing。 Of course it is a mistake to assume that a murder； for instance； would never be committed by sober men； because murderers in most cases prime themselves for their deadly work by a glass of Dutch courage。 But the facility of securing a reinforcement of passion undoubtedly tends to render always dangerous； and sometimes irresistible； the temptation to violate the laws of God and man。
Mere lectures against the evil habit are； however； of no avail。 We have to recognise； that the gin…palace； like many other evils； although a poisonous； is still a natural outgrowth of our social conditions。 The tap…room in many cases is the poor man's only parlour。 Many a man takes to beer； not from the love of beer； but from a natural craving for the light； warmth； company； and comfort which is thrown in along with the beer； and which he cannot get excepting by buying beer。 Reformers will never get rid of the drink shop until they can outbid it in the subsidiary attractions which it offers to its customers。 Then； again； let us never forget that the temptation to drink is strongest when want is sharpest and misery the most acute。 A well…fed man is not driven to drink by the craving that torments the hungry； and the comfortable do not crave for the boon of forgetfulness。 Gin is the only Lethe of the miserable。 The foul and poisoned air of the dens in which thousands live predisposes to a longing for stimulant。 Fresh air； with its oxygen and its ozone； being lacking； a man supplies the want with spirit。 After a time the longing for drink becomes a mania。 Life seems as insupportable without alcohol as without food。 It is a disease often inherited； always developed by indulgence； but as clearly a disease as ophthalmia or stone。
All this should predispose us to charity and sympathy。 While recognising that the primary responsibility must always rest upon the individual； we may fairly insist that society； which； by its habits； its customs； and its laws； has greased the slope down which these poor creatures slide to perdition； shall seriously take in hand their salvation。 How many are there who are； more or less； under the dominion of strong drink？ Statistics abound； but they seldom tell us what we want to know。 We know how many public…houses there are in the land； and how many arrests for drunkenness the police make in a year； but beyond that we know little。 Everyone knows that for one man who is arrested for drunkenness there are at least ten and often twentywho go home intoxicated。 In London； for instance； there are 14；000 drink shops； and every year 20；000 persons are arrested for drunkenness。 But who can for a moment believe that there are only 20；000； more or less； habitual drunkards in London？ By habitual drunkard I do not mean one who is always drunk； but one who is so much under the dominion of the evil habit that he cannot be depended upon not to get drunk whenever the opportunity offers。
In the United Kingdom there are 190；000 public…houses； and every year there are 200；000 arrests for drunkenness。 Of course； several of these arrests refer to the same person； who is locked up again and again。 Were this not so； if we allowed six drunkards to each house as an average； or five habitual drunkards for one arrested for drunkenness； we should arrive at a total of a million adults who are more or less prisoners of the publicanas a matter of fact； Isaac Hoyle gives 1 in 12 of the adult population。 This may be an excessive estimate； but； if we take half of a million； we shall not be accused of exaggeration。 Of these some are in the last stage of confirmed dipsomania； others are but over the verge； but the procession tends ever downwards。
The loss which the maintenance of this huge standing army of a half of a million of men who are more or less always besotted men whose intemperance impairs their working power； consumes their earnings； and renders their homes wretched； has long been a familiar theme of the platform。 But what can be done for them？ Total abstinence is no doubt admirable； but how are you to get them to be totally abstinent？ When a man is drowning in mid…ocean the one thing that is needful； no doubt； is that he should plant his feet firmly on terra firma。 But how is he to get there？ It is just what he cannot do。 And so it is with the drunkards。 If they are to be rescued there must be something more done for them than at present is attempted； unless； of course； we decide definitely to allow the iron laws of nature to work themselves out in their destruction。 In that case it might be more merciful to facilitate the slow workings of natural law。 There is no need of establishing a lethal chamber for drunkards like that into which the lost dogs of London are driven； to die in peaceful sleep under the influence of carbonic oxide。 The State would only need to go a little further than it goes at present in the way of supplying poison to the community。 If； in addition to planting a flaming gin palace at each corner； free to all who enter； it were to supply free gin to all who have attained a certain recognised standard of inebriety； delirium tremens would soon reduce our drunken population to manageable proportions。 I can imagine a cynical millionaire of the scientific philanthropic school making a clearance of all the drunkards in a district by the simple expedient of an unlimited allowance of alcohol。 But that for us is out of the question。 The problem of what to do with our half of a million drunkards remains to be solved； and few more difficult questions confront the social reformer。
The question of the harlots is； however； quite as insoluble by the ordinary methods。 For these unfortunates no one who looks below the surface can fail to have the deepest sympathy。 Some there are； no doubt； perhaps many； whowhether from inherited passion or from evil educationhave deliberately embarked upon a life of vice； but with the majority it is not so。 Even those who deliberately and of free choice adopt the profession of a prostitute； do so under the stress of temptations which few moralists seem to realise。 Terrible as the fact is； there is no doubt it is a fact that there is no industrial career in which for a short time a beautiful girl can make as much money with as little trouble as the profession of a courtesan。 The case recently tried at the Lewes assizes； in which the wife of an officer in the army admitted that while living as a kept mistress she had received as much as #4；000 a year； was no doubt very exceptional。 Even the most successful adventuresses seldom make the income of a Cabinet Minister。 But take women in professions and in businesses all round； and the number of young women who have received #500 in one year for the sale of their person is larger than the number of women of all ages who make a similar sum by honest industry。 It is only the very few who draw these gilded prizes； and they only do it for a very short time。 But it is the few prizes in every profession which allure the multitude； who think little of the many blanks。 And speaking broadly； vice offers to every good…looking girl during the first bloom of her youth and beauty more money than she can earn by labour in any field of industry open to her sex。 The penalty exacted afterwards is disease； degradation and death； but these things at first are hidden from her sight。
The profession of a prostitute is the only career in which the maximum income is paid to the newest apprentice。 It is the one calling in which at the beginning the only exertion is that of self…indulgence； all the prizes are at the commencement。 It is the ever new embodiment of the old fable of the sale of the soul to the Devil。 The tempter offers wealth； comfort； excitement； but in return the victim must sell her soul； nor does the other party forget to exact his due to the uttermost farthing。 Human nature； however； is short…sighted。 Giddy girls； chafing against the restraints of uncongenial industry； see the glittering bait continually before them。 They are told that if they will but 〃do as others do〃 they will make more in a night； if they are lucky； than they can make in a week at their sewing； and who can wonder that in many cases the irrevocable step is taken before they realise that it is irrevocable； and that they have bartered away the future of their lives for the paltry chance of a year's ill…gotten gains？
Of the severity of the punishment there can be no question。 If the premium is high at the beginning； the penalty is terrible at the close。 And this penalty is exacted equally from those who have deliberately said； 〃Evil； be thou my Good；〃 and for those who have been decoyed； snared； trapped into the life which is a living death。 When you see a girl on the street you can never say without enquiry whether she is one of the most…to…be condemned； or the most…to…be pitied of her sex。 Many of them find themselves where they are because of a too trusting disposition； confidence born of innocence being often the unsuspecting ally of the procuress and seducer。 Others are as much the innocent victims of crime as if they had been stabbed or maimed by the dagger of the assassin。 The records of our Rescue Homes abound w