The Icelandic Canadian - 01.12.1955, Blaðsíða 14

Over a year and a half ago there
was begun in the Province of Mani-
toba one of the most exhaustive in-
vestigations, ever undertaken, into all
aspects of liquor control. The Royal
Commission of five under the chair-
manship of the Hon. John Bracken, a
former premier of Manitoba, and later
the leader of the Conservative Party
in Canada, has now completed its
report. The implementation of some
or all of its recommendations now
faces the Manitoba government at the
next session of its legislature. Judging
by the wide diversity of opinion
expressed by individuals and those
submitted by many and varied organ-
izations through briefs to the investi-
gation committee this will not be a
simple matter. Finding a solution
satisfactory to all factions will not only
be an impossibility, but will also be
both a thankless and a delicate
task for those concerned with solving
the problems of effective controls and
administration.
The problem of use and abuse of
alcohol is as old as world civilization,
but the increasing complexities of
modern life seem to have aggravated
out of all proportion the dangers of
the excessive use of liquors.
It is neither the intent nor function
of this brief comment on this timely
and controversial subject to assess or
evaluate, nor even to deal specifically
with, any of the recommendations
made in this twenty volume report.
Reading it, however, solely from the
humanitarian point of view one can-
not help admiring the concern of the
members of the commission for the
welfare of the 10,000 unfortunate
alcoholics in our province whose num-
bers are increasing at an estimated
rate of 700 a year. It is a well known
fact that among them are many who
formerly held positions of prominence
and trust, and enjoyed enviable
reputations in our society. An estimat-
ed 10,000 others of our provincial
population of approximately 850,000
require help owing to excessive
use of alcohol. The report makes a
strong appeal for the treatment and
rehabilitation of the victims, and an
educational campaign to discourage
excessive consumption of alcohol by
others. The report further recom
mends an effective compulsory educa-
tional program for minors through our
schools and public press. The churches,
assisted by other social organizations,
will undoubtedly, as in the past, play
a prominent part in this educational
program. Such an undertaking deserves
the support of every parent. Obviously
the effectivness of this educational
program will be largely determined by
the attitude taken, and the example
set, in the home.
The readers of these observations
may share to some extent the opinion
of the writer that a more appropriate
topic could have been selected for
the December issue of The Icelandic
Canadian. It is not untimely, how-
ever, to point out that the festive
season of Christmas, in the past, has
often provided the occasion for lament-
able headlines directly attributable to
the revelries of a Season originally
intended for a more solemn and sacred
form of celebration.
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
WISHES ALL ITS READERS
A MERRY CHRISTMAS
and a
PROSPEROUS
HAPPY NEW YEAR.
-]■ K- L-