FIRST SPEECH IN THE COMMONS

LADY ASTOR ON DRINK.

Viscountess Astor, the first lady to sit in the House of Commons, made her first speech in that assembly on Tuesday night, in opposition to a resolution demanding the abolition of “all vexatious and unnecessary restrains and restrictions upon the liberty of the subject in respect of the strength, supply, and consumption of alcoholic liquors.” Sir J. D. Rees, who moved the resolution, concluded his speech by saving that he did not doubt a rod was in pickle for him when he sat down, but he would accept the chastisement with resignation and be ready to kiss the rod. Lady Astor joined in the laughter with which the remark was greeted. Lady Astor, who was received with loud cheers, on rising to address the House, said: I do not begin by craving the indulgence of the House, for I am only too conscious of its indulgence and courtesy. I know it was very difficult for some of the hon. members to receive the first lady M.P. into the House. (Cries of “Not at all.”) It was almost as difficult for some as for the first lady M.P. to come in. The hon. member who brought forward the motion was more than polite. (Laughter.) In fact, I thought he almost went a bit too far. However, I will consider his proposal if I can convert him. (Loud and prolonged laughter.) The issue raised by the hon. member is quite clear. Do we want the welfare of the community, or do we want the prosperity of the trade? Do we want national efficiency or national inefficiency? Are we trying to get a better world, or are we going to go back to the old world as it was before the war? Sir John Rees spoke of vexatious laws and restrictions. I quite agree that most laws are vexatious. I maintain that the liquor restrictions brought a great deal of good to the community – (hear, hear) – and in two ways. First, there was the moral gain. Convictions among women were reduced to one-fifth during the war by reason of these vexatious restrictions. This was at a time when thousands of women were earning more than they ever earned before, and when they were undergoing not only a physical strain, but the most awful mental torture. Then the deaths from delirium tremens were greatly reduced. Deaths among children through overlaying were halved. I could talk for five hours – (loud laughter) – but I won’t do it – (hear, hear) – about moral gains which you cannot put on paper. They are enormous, and I am certain that if hon. members would stop to think they would not cavil at these vexatious restrictions. Already we have lost some of these moral gains, convictions among women having doubled in the last year. Since these restrictions have been slightly modified there have been four times as many convictions among men. I have got as good a sense of humour as any other hon. member, but when I think of the ruin and desolation and misery which drink brings into the house of the working men and women, as well as into that of the well-to-do, I find it a little difficult to be humorous. (Hear, hear.) I am thinking of the freedom of the children. I am not so tremendously excited about what you call the freedom of the men. The men will get their freedom; I do not want to rob them of anything that is good. There is the doctrine of going out and looking for the lost sheep, and I feel that that is a better spirit to act upon than always clamouring about the freedom of the subject (Hear, hear.) Liquor control was set up for national efficiency – not for temperance – and it did pretty well. Both the War Office and the Admiralty commended liquor control, and no one can call either Pussyfoot. (“Hear, hear,” and laughter.) You cannot reconcile the interests of the State with the interests of the trade. It is to the interest of the trade to sell as much of their goods as possible, and that is opposed to the interests of the State. (Hear, hear.) The real lesson of the war is in favour of State purchase, which gets the largest amount of progress with the least amount of unrest. I am not pressing for prohibition; I am far too intelligent for that – (hear, hear) – but I believe men will come nearer having the Paradise that they seek when they do not try to get all their inspiration from drink, and I hope and believe that England will in the end come to prohibition. (Hear, hear.) I think the time will come when the workingman will “go dry,” but I think the country is not ready yet. (Hear, hear.) The workingman is as good a father as any other man. Show him what liquor control has done for the women and the children. Tell him the truth: don’t tell him that his liberties are being taken away by the rich man. It is not true, and you know it. (Hear, hear.) I am all for telling the truth, no matter how disagreeable.