| Author |
Mee, Arthur, 1875-1943 |
| LoC No. |
17020169
|
| Title |
The Fiddlers; Drink in the Witness Box
|
| Note |
Reading ease score: 73.8 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.
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| Credits |
E-text prepared by MWS, ellinora, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by Internet Archive (https://archive.org)
|
| Summary |
"The Fiddlers; Drink in the Witness Box" by Arthur Mee is a critical examination of the impact of alcohol on society and the war effort, written in the early 20th century, notably during World War I. This work appears to convey strong anti-alcohol sentiments, arguing that the drink trade undermines the country's strength during wartime and contributes to social and economic woes. Mee highlights the detrimental effects of alcohol on both the general population and soldiers, suggesting it is a significant enemy alongside the forces of Germany. The opening of the text establishes a passionate tone as Mee presents a compelling argument against the drink trade, asserting that it prolongs the war and exacerbates dire food shortages. He cites various statistics and examples of the massive quantities of food destroyed for beverage production, claiming that this waste directly threatens national security. Through a series of anecdotes and reports, he builds a case that emphasizes the ruin caused by alcohol at home—neglect, poverty, and broken families—contrasting sharply with the sacrifices of soldiers fighting abroad. The piece serves both as a historical piece and a call to action for societal reform regarding alcohol consumption. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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| Language |
English |
| LoC Class |
HV: Social sciences: Social pathology, Social and Public Welfare
|
| Subject |
World War, 1914-1918
|
| Subject |
Alcoholism
|
| Category |
Text |
| EBook-No. |
53733 |
| Release Date |
Dec 15, 2016 |
| Most Recently Updated |
Jun 13, 2020 |
| Copyright Status |
Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads |
50 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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