Show SMOKERS NO NOW I HIT HI IY BY BY NO HO ORDER TREAT MAT TEAT Tobacco Users Confused as asto as' as asto a ato to London Law on Buying Buying Buying Buy Buy- ing Refreshments Special Soda Cable to t The Telegram Telea LONDON Dec 1 When l When the no treating o order der was enforced it i was generally accepted accented as a something of ot a clearing of the dinner tables Joke the ng cea of ot all bottles after half- half in restaurants al bottes past 9 o'clock at night met with a more mixed reception but the new order which arrived this week came with the force almost of a a knockout blow True everybody knew it was wa coming comin the war warning ing had been sufficient but hardly anybody realized that such an a absurd proposition possibly could be made in earnest At the most they thought it t would be withdrawn even at the last moment The blow is aimed at smokers this time and unless the smoker provides himself himsel with sufficient cigarettes cigars and pipe tobacco before 8 o'clock at night he will wi have to go without Until un- un til ti next morning moring because after that hour the order runs that no flO tobacco in any form may be supplied in any ho hotel hotel hotel ho- ho tel restaurant of public house unless house unless the smoker first pays for a ameal ameal meal meal How such an order is going to help the war wr to a victorious conclusion conclusion con con- for the allies ales is pu everybody First of all aU Samuel the home secretary secretary sec see behind the I defence of the realm act forbade the sale of ot sweetmeats or tobacco anywhere anywhere anywhere any any- where after 7 p. p m. m Then he changed It to 8 p. p m. m Then the absurdity of preventing a man dining in a restaurant rant from being supplied with a cigar or cigarette after his meal unless he bought it before 8 S o'clock dawned dawned upon him lim and ana he had another try extendIng extending extending extend ing the exemption for meals consumed on the premises to include any refreshments refreshments refreshments refresh refresh- ments consumed oh on on the premises and tobacco supplied at a meal for immediate immediate immediate imme imme- diate diate consumption Thus confusion is worse confounded The sale of ot meals consumed on the premises now becomes any refreshments refreshments refreshments refresh refresh- ments consumed on the premises If I I this means what it says sas any hotel hote restaurant or public pubIc house may sell sel any refreshments after 8 If I however the distinction between a ameal ameal ameal meal and any refreshments is thus abolished tob tobacco cco cigarettes or cigars may apparently be sold after ater 8 o'clock to anybody Who first buys any re re- re Thus if it 6 5 cents' cents worth of bread and 11 cheese or a glass of milk mik and cind nd a 3 cent cake often ofen formS form a a meal for thousands of Londoners what one asks does any refreshments mean In the name of a a. a puzzled public the Express with wih humorously affected consternation asks a few questions which the author of the Prigs Order as it terms it might answer Are biscuits refreshments If I so I how many biscuits If ten biscuits are refreshments for a fairly hungry person person per per- per per- son soil are tw two biscuits refreshments for forone forone forone one not so hungry And what about one biscuit If I a publican is liable lable to a fine of or six months' months Imprisonment for selling a a cigarette after 8 o'clock t to td a person who has not paid for tor any re refreshments refreshments refreshments re- re is he to be prosecuted if it ithe he sells sels a a cigarette e to a person who first buys a cents cent's worth of refreshment In tn the shape of ot one biscuit If I biscuits are refreshments what about chocolate And how much chocolate chocolate choc choc- elate Comes domes under the n of any refreshments refreshments' refreshments refreshments' Even a hungry man might be satisfied with wih 25 cents' cents worth of chocolate as temporary re re- re freshment A less hungry person might be satisfied with wih a a single Ingle cent 3 bar of chocolate Will Wi a publican es escape escape escape es- es cape six months Imprisonment under the defense f the realm act if he supplies supplies sup sup- plies ples a customer with 3 cents' cents worth of refreshment refreshment-a bar of chocolate chocolate chocolate-be- a be before fore selling him a a cigarette or a cigar How many cents must a customer pay for tor an any refreshments before he is entitled to buy a cigarette Will Wi another another another an an- other order be issued to tell tel the soldiers who are going out to fight for their country countr or the men who are working at home to keep the war going how many mouthfuls of refreshment they must pay for before they can buy buya a cigarette after 8 o'clock without rein de ring the seller seler liable Hable to lax months in |