The sun., 1907-12-28
LABOR NJ. P.'S ARE A DRY LOT
2I OF THE 81 PRESENT MEMBERS
FORSWEAR THE DEMON Run.
John Hodge, One Of the n. breaches to the
WOmen's Trades Union League OT the
curse OF Drink and the Rights Of Man
C.-sandersOn speaks for the MIssus.

curse Of Drink and the Rights Of Man
.-sandersOn speaks for the MIssus.
A dinner in honor of John Hodge, Labor
member OF the British Parliament, was
given last night in Clinton Hall by the New
York branch of the Women's Trades Union
League.
Miss Katherine Drier, who presided, said
that Of the thirty-one Labor members in
the House of Commons, twenty-eight were
teetotslers within the precincts Of the
House and OF these twenty-eight twenty
one were total abstainers even when they
roRmed at large
She then introduced Mr.. Hodge, who,
after a recapitulation Of the work he had
done for the cause of temperance and
brief homily on the curse Of strong drink
made an easy and nStuTal transition to the
subject OF woman suffrage by saying he was
sure that IL women had the vote it would
always be cast in the interest OF social
purity and the white ribbon.
He devoted few moments to an expo
sition of the recent recognition by the
churches in Great Britain that religion was
something more than the mere cultivation
of spirituality and the consequent develop
ment Of the so-called brotherhood Move
ment,' which had resulted in a sort Of CO.
operative kinship between the Church and
the labor unions.
Then in due order he came TO his pet
theOry-the desirability OF trades unions
getting into politics, and elaborated upo n
ii 10 the apparent edi fCation OF the audi
ence for upward Of an hour. He told OF
the trials Of lobbying when one was merely
a chairman OF a committee of some soci-
ETY. and described the delights Of having
thirty-one avowed champions OF the work.
ingmen on the inside in addition to twenty
four so-called Liberal" members who could
be counted upon to vote with them, thus
max ing a peoples squad" OF at least fifty
five
Speaking OF the passage of the Trades
Dispute bill. he aroused a storm Of applause
by declaring that the action of the House
OF Lords In finally passing il after they had
pronounced II to be vile, vicious and an in
Rringement UPON the liberties Of the sut ject,
simply proved that the sooner the House
OF Lords was swept out OF existence the
better IL would be for the country.
He explained the Worltingmens COmpen-
sation blLl. Some OF its provisions were ap-
plauded Especially did they seem to re-
ioice at his statement that the "compsnsa-
lion" in case Of accident was not at all
affected by any possible negligence on the
part OF the employee injured.
This compensation act" concluded Mr..
Hodge, extends to domestic servants.
about whom, understand. you know very
little in this country. We had our maid
insured last year at a cost Of five shillings
per annum, and tho policy provided among
other things for a maximum fee Of ElO
for medical attendance
The next week. when she was carrying
a lighted candle upstairs. she stumbled.
dropped the candle and then fell against
the railing and broke her false teeth. l
sent her to a good dentist. and told her to
get fxed up In the best possible shape.
She came back with beautiful set of brand
new teeth. and all il cost me was five
Mr.. C.-sanderson. who wore among
other things an Alice blue linen collar.
said that Mrs. C.-Sanderson was awfuly
sorry that she couldn't be there. but that
she had to attend another meeting.
my wife is a member Of the Independent
Labor Party he continued, and deeply
appreciates the work which Mr.. Hodges
party has accomplished" He described
my wife's' interest in the cause Of labor,
and the somewhat larger cause" the didn't
say socialism right out loud. but most
everybody knew what he meanD. He
dilated upon my wife's" devotion to the
cause Of the Emancipation OF Woman.
He assured Mr.. Hodge how deeply my
wife regretted her inability to bid him
godspeed.
The diners rassed a resolution saying
they were sorry Mrs. C.-Sanderson hadn't
C.-SanderSOn magnanimousiy promised to
tell her so.
Mrs Raymond Robins. PRESIDENT OF the
National WoTnen's Trades Union League,
made q short Address as did several mem
bers Of the T.. y. U.