The wageworker., 1910-02-19

|
Typographical Journal appeared the
following letter:
| Lincoln, Nebr., January 10.-To the
Editor of the Typographical Journal
| The matter of entertaining an an
nual convention of the International
Typographical Union is always
problem for the city fortunate enough
to secure such convention. AS one
who has contracted the convention
hablt,' l want to enter a protest or
two against what seems to be the ten
dencies in the wrong direction. 1t is
meet and proper that there should be
plenty of the social spirit at our con-
ventions, but does it not appear that
the social side is receiving so much
attention that the great business af-
fairs are forced into second place?
Again, are we not putting the craft in
an unenviable light by so acting as
create the impression that our chief
aim in attending the convention is to
/ dispose of the entire brewery output?
I disclaim being a Puritan; I do not
ASeOAu w say VIAdC duOlHSl uudn Slldll
eat, drink or wear, providing his eat
ing, drinking and wearing do not Of
fend public decency or trench upon
my rights as a citizen. I am neither
prchibitionist nof total abstainer
but as a member of the International
Typographical Union, as a habitual
convention goer, and as a citizen,
desire to enter a protest against the
growing tendency to make our an
nual conventions "beer jousts." There
was enough of this sort of thing at the
st. Jospeh convention to lead the gen
eral public to believe that printers and
their wives had scarcely any other aim
during convention week than to drink
beer, and it must be admitted that the
local committee fully satisfied all de-
: mands in that direction. Far be 1t
from me to criticize the local commit
tee. 1t performed splendid service,
and despite untoward weather condi-
tions and a lack of scenic attractions,
it made the stay of the delegates and
visitors pleasant in the extreme.
1 believe there was entirely too
much display of the beer end of the
entertainment. Everywhere we went
the bottled goods were ostentatiously
handed out. When there was nothing
S else at hand-mOre beer. Delegates
: headquarters beer! Yes,
;, drank a few, but that does not dc
Y away with the fact that the constant
!; display of the beer end of the enter
tainment was calculated to give {
}. wrong impression of the craft. A few
e years ago the craft had an unenviable
e reputation along drinking lines. The
e coming of the "Merg." proved bless
ing, although we feared it at first
Today the dissipated tourist has al
most disappeared, and the craft enjoys
as good reputation for sobriety as i
fcrmely enjoyed bad reputation fol
dissipation. / am sure that the ranl
and file would not swap present condi
tons for the conditions that prevailed
in the so-called good old days." Ii
view of all this, are We not doing our
selves a rank injustice by SO conduct
: ing ourselves at our annual conven
e tions as to give the general public the
), impression that we are lot of bee
S guzzlers who are satisfied just so Ions
as we have plenty of hop juice a
n hand?e
For one / would be content to bu!
4 what beer I want at future conven
+ ticns, allowing others to do the same
G and cutting out the furnishing OF it as
!. a feature of the entertainment. Th'
sight of 1,50O or 1000 printers ane
n their wives sitting around and drink
], ling beer whenever there was nothing
else doing is not, to my mind, an ele
waiting one, nor one calculated TO glYe
us the right sort of position In the es
y timation of right thinking people. i
we must have our beer, for goodness
). sake let's quit making such an osten
! tatious display of our thirst. L an
n not objecting to any man or woman
y drinking beer; what am obJectlng te
+ lis a display thereof that will give the
d general public the wrong impression
t The objections here urged are no'
Il mine alone; I have heard other con
yention goers urge the same thing.
a You will note that l have den1eo
Il being a prohibitionist and have ad
n mitted that am not total absta1nef
a but 1 have very little hope that this
t denial and disclaimer will prevent
r some from charging me with being
j one of those fellows who deny per
l. sonal liberty"
e WILL M. MAUP1N.
e The following letter will be inter
|. esting ir connection with the above