Mr. SPEAKER:

Before the hon. member proceeds, I deem it my duty to apprise the House that, inasmuch as this motion specifies the subject proposed to be discussed, discussion should be very strictly confined to the subject mentioned in the motion. I hope that hon. members who may speak shall confine their remarks as closely as possible to the subject.

Mr. DEVLIN:

Mr. Speaker, I mean to take up very little of the time of the House in discussing the motion which I have now the honour to present. Since the beginning of the war I have tried as much as possible to confine my time and attention in this House to matters directly affecting our country, the Empire, and our Allies, in the interest of the war which is now being waged. The idea which came into my mind in bringing this matter before the House was prompted by a speech delivered by the Minister of Finance to the congregation of St. James Methodist Church at Montreal. In speaking upon the subject of self-sacrifice and self-denial, the minister

used these words, which appealed to me, and which, I am sure, must have appealed to every man who has read the report of that speech:

The duty of every man who can produce anything useful or essential for the national good is to strengthen the nation and put forth his utmost effort. Increased production is necessary, increased agricultural production especially. Every acre, every plot of land in the Empire, should he made to produce this year to the utmost of the human energy available for the purpose. The only reason the nation can sustain the burden of the war is because of the enormous expenditures in peace time for luxuries being discontinued; the cutting out of all. but essentials, and there are comparatively few essentials in this world after all.

As I am not familiar as perhaps are others in this country with the use of whisky and beer, I was forced to look up an encyclopedia to find out what were the raw materials used in the manufacture of those liquors, and I find that they consist of barley, wheat', rye, sugar, corn, and molasses. It is imperative, owing to war conditions, that every country should see that its inhabitants are properly supplied with foodstuffs, and secondly that waste 'and unnecessary uses of foodstuffs are eliminated. Whisky, beer and similar liquors used as beverages cannot be considered as amongst the necessaries of life, but the raw materials used in the manufacture of those beverages are without doubt necessaries of life. Following out the advice given by the Minister of Finance, we must eliminate all waste and extravagance, and we must, if we want to be in a position to cope with the situation that faces this country and our Allies, produce from the land as much as possible, to supply not only the consumers of this country, but the Allies in so far as we are able to do so. If we desire to do that, we must do it by the elimination of waste and extravagance. The use of whisky, beer, and similar beverages constitutes waste and extravagance; the raw materials used in those beverages are wasted, and it is an extravagant use of those raw materials. Therefore, if whisky, beer and similar drinks are not necessaries of life, but the raw materials used in those beverages are necessaries of life, it becomes the duty of the Government, and the Government has that right under the War Measures Act, to eliminate from consumption in this country such beverages in order that the consumers may, in the way of foodstuffs, have the full benefit of the raw materials of which I have spoken.

I further want to point out to the House that it will be in the interest of the farm-

ers of Canada that such action be taken [DOT] because the farmers are complaining to-day that, they are obliged to pay too much for their seed grain.

I submit further to the House that the farmers are not getting the benefit of the increased prices of these materials through the consumption of whisky and beer; the benefit is all going into the hands of speculators. From the information which I have been able to obtain we have consumed-let me hope, not in. this country-but there has been consumed in this country in the manufacture of liquor in the year 1916, 2,353,273 bushels of barley, 589,394 bushels of .corn, and 123,801 bushels of rye, making a total of 3,066,468 bushels. I appeal to the House whether it would not be better that the consumers of Canada, those who seek food, those who actually need it, those who are earning small salaries to-day, should get the benefit rather than, the distillers and the brewers, whose only object can be to gain large profits and increase their wealth at the expense of the people of Canada.

My last remark is that with more economy and less wasteful expenditure on the part of the Government there would be less taxation upon the consumers and producers, and more money in the pockets of our people to meet the increased cost of living. But unmindful of the real needs of the people, and thinking only on raising money to meet the necessities of the hour, the Government have gone on increasing taxation without trying to discover where they could curtail expenditure. I am now pointing out to the Government one way in which the production of this country can be saved from waste and used- directly for the benefit of the people of Canada, and if only this one suggestion were adopted, the people of this country would not be called upon to pay quite as much for their foodstuffs; the distillers and brewers and speculators would not make the profits they are now making, and the people of this country would have more foodstuffs at their command.

The Minister of Trade and Commerce, who was in Washington recently, has given an interview since his return to the Montreal Daily Mail of May 7, 1917, as follows:-

Pood supplies, labour, and ship building' were the chief matters which were dealt with by Sir George Foster; finance and tonage production will he the principal matters which will engage the atention of Sir Thomas White.

Joint Action on Food Prices.

The Minister of Trade and Commerce states that as soon as Congress gives President Wilson

the necessary authority, by the passage of measures now in the House of Representatives and the 'Senate, there will he joint action by Canada and the United States for the regulation of food prices, for co-operation in the supply of agricultural labour, and for co-operation in the production of tonnage required to offset the activities of German submarines.

Sir George said that the decision was reached early in the conference at Washington, hut there would have to he joint action by Canada and the United States in order to most effectively solve the problems in which the North American continent is interested through the war. The War Measures Act gives the Canadian Government the authority which it requires, hut Congress has to provide the American Government with similar power before anything effective can he done. Sir George expressed the opinion that Congress would pass the Bills unanimously.

There is a frank admission, and I have no reason to doubt the Teport that the Government have power under the War Measures Act to enact legislation immediately, 'by Order in Council, embodying the substance of the motion now before the House. The same thing is being done in other countries. Down in the Argentine Republic even more drastic measures have been taken. I quote from the Montreal Gazette of May 7, 1917:-

Ottawa, May 6.-A further report, in response to inquiries regarding an article stating that the Argentine Republic was seriously menaced by famine,_ has been received by the Department of Trade and Commerce from Mr. George Mallet, of Valparaiso, Chile.

Mr. Mallet says that the information contained in his first article was telegraphed from Buenos Aires to responsible newspapers in Chile, and was also published in papers in Argentina. In view of the subsequent abnormal exportation of wheat from Argentina, he says, the alarmist story of famine menace would almost appear to have been a hasty exaggeration of the actual facts, were it not for the supporting evidence which is everywhere apparent, on a careful review of the question. He points out that the Government of Argentina has found it necessary to issue a decree with astonishing rapidity prohibiting the exportation of grain so indispensable for home consumption. "The failure of the harvest in the principal grain zone lying between Uruguay, Paraguay and the Andes, naturally produced considerable alarm,'' he says, "totally eclipsing the favorable prospects of the Province of Buenos Aires, which have subsequently been brought to light. This is, however, not of sufficient importance to counterbalance the losses in the remaining provinces."

Without taking up unnecessarily the time of the House, I now submit this motion, trusting that it will appeal to the judgment and intelligence of every hon. member of this House.

Mr. J. J. HUGHES (Kings, P.E.I.):

I wish ,to go on record as supporting this motion, though I would like to see it even wider. The Government has received this

session a great number of petitions containing hundreds of names, and certainly representing the views of thousands of people in this country, praying for the enactment of a law this session prohibiting the importation.

Mr. SPEAKER:

I regret to have to interrupt the hon. member, but it 4s not in order for him to now discuss the question of prohibition. The resolution before us is with respect to the conserving of the products used in the manufacture of liquor.

Mr. J. J. HUGHES:

I did not intend to take up much of the time of the House, and I think that what I have to say bears directly on the motion before the House. I was simply leading up to my reasons for supporting this motion, if not a wider one, and I should like to have the privilege of addressing the House for a few moments. I was saying that the Government has received a large number of petitions this year praying for the enactment of a law this session prohibiting the importation, sale and manufacture of intoxicating liquors in this country. If ever there was a time when this question should be considered it is now. Members of the Government especially the Minister of Finance (Sir Thomas White) and the Minister of Trade and Commerce (Sir George Foster), have held meetings in different parts of the country to explain to the people the gravity of the situation, and 1 ave told the people ithat, sooner or l-ater- and much sooner than many expect-we shall have to give up seventy-five per cent of our luxuries, and perhaps twenty-five peT cent-of necessaries. Intoxicating liquors at their very best -are certainly luxuries, and at their worst -are one of the greatest evils from which the country suffers. I believe that public opinion at this time would su-s-tain the Government in taking action along the lines -suggested by this resolution, and in my humble judgment, will condemn the Government if something of the kind is not done during the present session. Last session Parliament passed an Act fixing very severe penalties for the carrying of liquor into prohibited provinces. I know that that Act has been violated extensively in regard to the province from which I come. I had a question upon the Order Paper early in the session, -asking the Government if they were aware that the provisions of that Act had been violated by the carrying of intoxicating liquors into P-rince Edward Island.

Order.

Mr. SPEAKER:

The hon. gentleman

(Mr. Hughes) should confine his remarks to the question before the Chair. We are not discussing the general question of prohibition-the -resolution is -a -specific one against certain grains being used in the manufacture of intoxicating liquor.

Mr. J. J. HUGHES:

I shall confine my remarks entirely to the subject you have indicated, M-r. Speaker. I say that -at least the action proposed by this resolution would be justified, and more than justified, and that the people would approve such action by the Government. I believe that public -opinion will nfot he met, and that a vast majority of the people will be dissatisfied, unless something of this kind is done.

Mr. D. D. McKENZIE (Cape Breton North):

The hon. member (Mr. Devlin)

who moved this resolution has put his case very -strongly and clearly and has given the House sufficient data to justify the position he takes and the motion he has moved. If the only purpose in speaking were to give further information, it would not he necessary for me to occupy even a moment of the time of the House. But it might appear to be an ex-' pression of indifference on my part if I allowed the motion to go by without saying a word. I understand that this is a resolution that does not come to a division, but is made for the purpose of giving members of the House, and particularly members of the Government, an opportunity to express their opinion upon the subject. The figures given by the hon. member for Wright show that very large quantities of the very essentials of living are consumed in the manufacture of intoxicating liquors; and, while I am not fanatical on the subject, and have no desire to deprive any man of the right to take a drink when he so desires, I think it is time for us to deny ourselves such luxuries as intoxicating liquors and to take steps to stop their production. For, while the stoppage of production of intoxicants is not the object directly sought, the enforcement of the principle declared for in the resolution would have that effect. The direct object is two-fold-first, to prevent the use for other purposes of money which should go to the support of the people; and, second, to conserve for food purposes the grain which would otherwise be used in producing intoxicants. If any steps can be taken by the Government to make it certain

that grains shall be used for food, and so improve our position in relation to the war, those steps should be taken.

Mr. J. H. BURNHAM (West Peterborough) :

I support the motion, both the principle involved and the statement regarding it made by the Finance Minister, upon whose statement, I believe the motion has been initiated.

Mr. HUGH GUTHRIE (South Wellington) :

As has been said, this motion comes before the House practically without notice, and consequently one is not so well prepared as one would like to be to discuss the question. I am satisfied that the suggestion of the hon. member for Wright (Mr. Devlin) is in the right direction. We in Canada, I think, are lagging behind our friends in the United States on this question. I see published daily in the New York Times and New York Herald almost whole sheet advertisements by the National Brewers of the United States, trying to justify their position at the present critical time in regard to food shortage, by showing the infinitesimally small quantity of grain they use. One has only to look into the records in our country, and I fancy in their country too, to see that it is not a small quantity of grain that is used by the brewers and distillers, but a large quantity -over 3,000,000 bushels of grain used in Canada last year to produce something which in seven out of the nine provinces is now practically prohibited. I fancy that the year 1915 showed a larger consumption of grain by brewers and distillers than last year, because in September last prohibition went into effect in Ontario, as it had gone into effect earlier in the year in other provinces. I think there is an easy way to meet the difficulty in this matter. A year ago last March the Minister of Justice (Mr. Doherty) had a Bill before the House dealing with the question of the importation of liquors into various provinces. On that occasion I pointed out that the Government should go a step further and that, in the provinces where prohibition had been passed, the licenses of brewers and distillers should be revoked. The Inland Revenue Act provides that brewers' and distillers' licenses may be revoked in any year. That can be done now simply by a refusal to grant brewers' or distillers' malting and distilling licenses for seven of the nine provinces in which prohibition is in force. It would not apply generally throughout

Canada but I am sure that such a course would undoubtedly be in accord with the views of the people of these seven provinces.

I think the House is entitled to some expression on that question from the members of -the Government. One can realize that in Ontario perhaps it is a difficult question for the present Government to deal with. One has only to cast one's eye at Walker-ville, Ontario, wdth its tremendous distilleries, at Waterloo and at the Gooderham and Wort's distillery in Toronto to know that perhaps the Government may have some difficulty in meeting what I -believe is a general demand -at the present time. There are to-day in Canada, I believe, eleven distilleries and ninety-four breweries operating and it woul-d be a very simple thing, and something that the people at this moment expect, for the Government, through the Inland Revenue Act, as it is at present framed, pr by legislation, or by Order in Council under the War Measures Act, to entirely eliminate the -consumption of the grain that is now used by these -breweries and distilleries. Pass it, if you will, as a war measure -because it certainly would be an appropriate measure at the present time. I fee-1 confident that the whole country will support it.

Mr. EDMOND PROULX (Prescott):

1

know that some of the farmers have difficulty in p-rpcuring grain for seeding their land this year. I think public opinion would support the -Government if it would take measures to relieve the situation. One way of relieving the situation would be by saving the grain which goes into the production of liquor. It is certainly wasted. What is the use pf the Government preaching economy and self-sacrifice if the Government does not do anything to relieve the situation? Something has been done by the provinces. The Government has passed legislation confirming the legislation passed by the provinces and trying to help the prp-vin-ces in having the law observed. But, that is not sufficient. We are certainly passing through a crisis which demands upon the part of the citizens a measure of self-sacrifice and I do not see why the distilleries and brewers should not have their sacrifices as well as other people are having theirs. I am strongly in favour of the resolution- proposed by my hon. friend from Wright (Mr. Devlin).

Mr. E. W. NESBITT (North Oxford):

Mr. Speaker, I think that something should he done during the \frar to curtail the

amount of grain that is used for distilling and brewing purposes. The 'Government have an opportunity of showing that they are not only in favpur of temperance but that they are in favour of conserving the grain production of the country for food purposes. In so far as my knowledge of the country goes, I think it will be necessary before the snow flies again for the Government to use every effort to conserve the grain in the country for food purposes and therefore I have pleasure in endorsing the resolution. I would ask the Government to take into their serious consideration the question of doing something lailong this line because that is a direction in which they can move and do the least harm and the most good.

Mr. J. G. TURRIFF (Assiniboia):

Mr. Speaker, I think my hon. friend from Wright (Mr. Devlin) has every justification for bringing this matter to the attention of the Government. I know that in so far as the people I represent are concerned, nine-tenths of them, Liberals and Conservatives alike, would support and justify the Government in taking action along the line suggested by my hon. friend. I do not intend to refer to this in the sense of temperance legislation in any degree whatever. I altogether agree with the view expressed by my hon. friend from North Oxford (Mr. Nesbitt) a moment ago, that we were facing possibly a much more serious situation than we have any idea of. We heard from the hon. member for Wright of the crop failures in some of the South American countries. There is the Republic of Argentina, which is not at war at all, but which has been compelled to take just such action as the hon. member for Wright has asked the Government to take. There never has been a time in the past, whatever the future may bring forward, when the Government could take this action and cause as little disturbance to the large interests, and there are large financial interests engaged in making whisky and beer. Many of the factories could be used to great advantage in manufacturing, not from grain, but from other sources, spirits to be used in connection with the making of high explosives. The grain and food supplies that are being used to-day in the manufacture of beer and whisky could be saved to the country. With the crop failure in South America, and with the possibility of a light crop in Canada, this saving would be all important. Remember that we are now at the eighth day of May and that this is one of

the latest seasons we have ever had in Canada taking it all around. I know, speaking for the West, that the chances are that we are going to have a very small crop, we are going to have a much less acreage in wheat than we have had in the past and we do not grow a great deal of barley in the West. Our crop will have to go more largely to oats and flax. We are going to have a short crop in all probability of the grains that go to make human food. Then, what about the conditions that exist in England? I am afraid from what I have heard from men and women who have returned from Great Britain in the last month that the conditions there are considerably worse than we have any idea of, that they are extremely serious. When you find a country like Great Britain tearing up their parks and lands that have not grown food products for many years, something very serious is on. Here is an opportunity now for the Government to save many millions of bushels of food products for the people, either for ourselves, or for the Empire, or for our Allies, all in the interest of winning this war. If the Government does not take advantage of this situation, in my judgment, it will be neglecting the greatest opportunity that has ever come to the Government to meet the views of all the people of Canada. If they do take advantage of this suggestion they will meet the views of the great majority of the people and they will be doing something that the people of Canada want to have done. They have the expression of the views of the people on the general liquor question, and I am not going to discuss that. But that helps to justify them to-day in taking action to conserve this great amount of food product and thereby to make not only 'Canada but Great Britain, the Empire, and our Allies that much stronger. I feel that I would not be representing the sentiments of my constituency if I did not make these remarks. I trust that the Government will not be hampered, that they will not allow themselves to be hampered, by the consideration of any particular interest, distilling, or brewing, or any other, but that they will go forward and save this grain to the people, and not only the grain but the sugar and molasses as well. Sugar and molasses are as much food products as wheat, oats or barley. By the course suggested something can be saved, and in saving it no harm would be done to the country, rather a greater good would be done than by letting this grain be converted into whisky and beer. So there is every-

thing in favour of this suggestion and nothing against it except the interests of a few brewers and manufacturers. Therefore,

I hope that the Government will lend a kindly ear to this suggestion, and within a very short time issue the necessary instructions that, until the war is ended, no further grain shall be used for making whisky or beer.

Mr. W. F. MACLEAN (South York):

Mr. Speaker, I have attended some meetings in my own province of Ontario, the main object of which was to increase the agricultural production of that province. A great committee has been formed for that purpose, with the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario as chairman. Sub-committees are now at work to ascertain how the resources of the province can be best developed for the purposes of this war. I have read in the press, and I myself have written in the press and advised, that there ought to be a conservation of all our energies for the purposes of the war; and certainly we in Ontario are talking in the direction of increasing the production of food products in this country, not only producing them but using them efficiently. We are devoting barley, rye, corn and wheat in some cases to the production of these liquors and spirits. The province of Ontario has declared in favour of prohibition, while we have declared that we are in favour of increased production and efficient use of what we produce; and so I say that to be consistent with one's self one must support this proposal. Either there is to be a scarcity of food or there is not, and we know pretty well that there is to be from the way in which prices are soaring to-day. This Parliament will not be doing its duty unless it does everything possible in the way of preserving the food energies of the country. When we use grain like barley, rye, corn and wheat in the manufacture of spirits for drinking purposes, instead of devoting it to the feeding of the people and the maintenance of our soldiers and citizens, securing reasonable prices of food for the men working in munition factories, we are not being true to the protestations we make as to our loyalty and desire to win the war. All these grains can be used as ordinary foods. Barley and rye both make splendid bread, and while perhaps the corn which we largely import from the United States cannot be used for bread making, all of these grains can be used for the feeding of stock, and it is as essential to increase our production of livestock in

Canada for food purposes as to increase the production of other foodstuffs. You are lessening the amount of food available for mankind, and you are also lessening the amount of food available for the production of these food animals. That being the case,

I say it is the duty of the Government, and I think they will see it is their duty, to take action in this respect. Certainly it seems to be the logical conclusion of what they have said heretofore, that there must be conservation of these things. I only wish to say that I should like to see iit done.

But we must always remember that while the distilleries are running at high pressure and are producing a great deal of spirits, a comparatively small proportion of these spirits goes into drink. These spirits are used for the production of glycerine and other things essential in the manufacture of high explosives. It may be necessary to continue the operation of the distilleries for the production of spirits for explosive purposes, but to permit the use of these grains for any other purpose except for food would to my mind be a mistake, and would not be living up to the views we are expressing publicly here, and that the Government has stated publicly. At meetings held throughout the country every one says: Conserve your energies. So to be true and just to ourselves we have to take- the position that has been proposed here to-day and, as I said, I think the Government are ready to take that position, at least it is the logical position for them to take, and I trust that they will take an early opportunity of conserving grains of this kind. In a proclamation signed by His Majesty the King the other day it was stated that the greatest care must be exercised in the use of all kinds of grains in the Mother Country, especially in feeding stock. It was stated that even the horses, except those kept for the express purpose of carrying on and maintaining the breed, would have to go without oats unless oats were absolutely necessary for them as work horses. But even that was not mentioned, it was said unless they were essential for the maintenance of the breed, that is, the brood mares and the stud horses. The same thing was said with regard to all cattle; if they had to have superior food .they must have it, hut if food could be spared from the use of animals and was required for the maintenance of the people it ought to be conserved in that direction. With these soaring prices for food and with our farmers in great need of food for their dairy cattle, we must do

everything in our power to conserve what food supplies we have. I was much impressed with what was said about the high price of food for dairy cattle the other day, and also by what my hon. friend from Brockville (Mr. Webster) said about the large amount of food used for the dairy herds in this province. We must make every effort to increase our production of butter, cheese, bacon and meat of all kinds in this time of war. The war is not over. It looks none too encouraging to-day in any quarter, and there may be a danger that Germany will get control of Russia and the great food supplies there, so that the Allies may not have the benefit of that source of supply. In view of all these things, this Government, I think, would be justified in adopting some such measure as that under discussion to-day.

Mr. H. H. STEVENS (Vancouver City):

Mr. Speaker, I think that my views on this subject are pretty well known to the House. A year ago I suggested to the House and to the Government that the distilleries of the country should be devoted to the production of spirits for useful war purposes, and the suggestion of the hon. member from Wright contains the same principle, that is, that grains and other food products should be restricted to profitable and productive uses rather than to the production of what is generally looked upon as a luxury. However, in listening to the discussion to-day, I have not observed much effort to deal with some of the difficulties which must present themselves to every thoughtful person. It would be of little value for the Government to restrict or prohibit the use of grain or other food products in Canada for the manufacture of liquors if, by simply exporting the grain across the line, the same grain, or a similar quality, could be absorbed there in any large manufacturing institution for the manufacture of intoxicating liquor. In my estimation, we should go a great deal further. In fact, only yesterday I drew this matter to the attention of some members of the Government, and the suggestion was made that the (Government should prohibit the exportation of any grains except to allied countries for food purposes. That would be going a step further than the resolution of the hon, member for Wright, but would, I think, not go far enough. Up to a dlay or two ago the Imperial authorities had not exercised much restriction with regard to the use of grains in the manufacture of intoxicating liquor, but I noticed in yesterday's paper despatches from the old land indicating

that some action would be taken in that respect. I assume that the- Minister of Trade and Commerce, who is now leading the House, will be able to give hon. gentlemen some information as to the possibility of an understanding being arrived at between Canada and the United States and the Motherland with a view to giving definite effect to this proposal. If by our example and by conference with the other Governments. we could, induce the exercise of similar restrictions in these three countries, some very definite and valuable results would follow. .

I would like to have had some definite figures as to the quantities of grain that have been used for the manufacture of intoxicating liquors. As a matter of fact, I had intended to bring this matter to the attention of the House by proposing a motion; I have a copy of it in my pocket, and had intended to put it on the Order Paper. However, the matter has been brought up, and I regret that I have not the figures with me and that we are not in a position to know just what benefit would result from a restriction of this kind. I think we are all of the opinion that some such action as is suggested would be of definite benefit to the country. I would like to impress upon the Government the seriousness of the proposal and suggest that it receive their favourable attention at a very early date.

Mr. J. A. ROBB (Huntingdon):

In presenting his resolution, the hon. member for Wright (Mr. Devlin) gave statistics to show that in the year 191G over 3,000,000 bushel? of grain were used in the manufacture of alcoholic beverages. Calculating an average of 25 bushels to the acre, it would take 125,000 acres to grow the grain required during one year for the manufacture of these alcoholic beverages. If that grain, instead of being diverted to the purpose of manufacturing an alcoholic beverage, which, as has been remarked by a previous speaker, is, after all, only a luxury, were devoted to the feeding and graining of cattle, it would grain 60,000 milch cows for one year, thus enabling the farmers to produce milk a little cheaper. Including the grain and molasses used, the value of the raw material diverted to the manufacture of alcoholic beverages in one year would be $4,250,000. I submit, therefore, in view of the fact that the hon. Minister of Finance, the Minister of Agriculture-indeed all the Government -are appealing to the people to exercise thrift and economy, that we would be amply

, justified in. accepting the resolution presented toy the hon. member for Wright. It looks to me as if the representatives of the people in Parliament are convinced that the proposal is a sound one, and I cheerfully support the resolution presented by my hon. friend.

Hon. GEORGE P. GRAHAM (South Renfrew) : This is not a temperance proposal, although, incidentally, its acceptance would be a great step along temperance lines. The proposal, as I understand it, is the diverting of certain food supplies from channels that are non-essential to channels that are essential. I say that it is not a temperance measure, because unless we make the provinces which have passed prohibition bone dry, liquor will be imported. We are asking boys at the universities to go out into the harvest fields and help to produce. In the city of Toronto there is a suggestion that the schools be closed prematurely in order that the young men may go to the farms. In the United States they are taking measures to mobilize, in a way, all the young men between sixteen and eighteen, not so much in order that they may take part in the war at the front as to have them go out into the country places and help production. We are gladly permitting our sons to do this, but should we permit them to do it if the very thing that they are producing is to be diverted from the useful purpose to which the nation intended that it should be devoted?

If the proposal of the hon. member for Wright (Mr. Devlin) were adopted by the

Government, a little jar might

4 p.m. result.to certain lines of business.

But the winning of the war is the paramount issue, and all private interests, even though they be far-reaching, must come under subjection to this one great end. There is not a man in this House who does not feel in some way the effect of this war, and the Canadian people, including those engaged in the business affected by this resolution are, I believe, prepared for sacrifices. If the figures just given by the member for Huntingdon (Mr. Robb) are correct-and I assume they are-we see in this proposal an opportunity of carrying out in a marvellous way the declaration of the Finance Minister with regard to saving. Over $4,000,000 can by this means be diverted into channels contriQuting to the winning of the war which, to put it mildly, do not now tend to that end.

The question of the manufacture of liquor for explosives has been mentioned. Undoubtedly any measure adopted by the Government would have to exclude from its provisions the manufacture of liquor for explosives. As a matter of fact, several of the distilleries in Canada are manufacturing largely for war purposes, and no one would suggest that these industries ought to be interfered with; rather, they should be encouraged to the fullest extent. I am of the opinion that the use of grain for the manufacture of alcoholic beverages in Canada should be stopped and the grain sent into proper channels for the sustenance of the people, thus assisting in the great end which we all have in view, the successful carrying on of the war.