§ 69. Mr. CURRIEasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he will state if rum is issued as a ration to troops at the front; if so, under what conditions it is issued; whether young men are forced in any circumstances to take rum as a ration; whether he is aware that there is a popular belief to this effect; and, if so, whether he will cause public contradiction of the belief to be made in view of its prejudicial effect upon recruiting?
§ Mr. TENNANTI would refer the hon. Member to the full answer which I gave on 16th November last to questions by the hon. Members for Haggerston and Bury. In view of these and similar questions which have already been answered in the House, I think that the true state of the case should be sufficiently clear, but I may repeat that men are not forced to take rum as a ration.
§ Mr. CURRIEWould the right hon. Gentleman be good enough to communicate a copy of his answer to Sir Thomas Barlow, the President of the Royal College of Physicians, who, if correctly reported in the "Times" of the 9th instant, entertains an extraordinary conception?
§ Mr. TENNANTYes, Sir, I shall be very glad to do so.