The Washington socialist. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1914-1915, 1914-06-04
ST. LOUIS SOCIALISTS
AGAINST PROHIBITION
An instructive Resolution.
Resolution adopted by General Mem
bership Meeting May 3, 1914

Whereas, tho advocacy OF sobriety
and temperance habits has at all
times been n strong feature OF the So
cialist movement, because no great
and worldwide social movement of
the Importance OF the International
Socialist and Labor movement can
ever be made success if intemper-
ance, inebriety, or irresponsibility
prevail;
Whereas, the Socialist party has at
all times advocated the strictest reg
ulation of the liquor traffic under the
present capitalist conditions, while as
an ultimate object it aims to abolish
the abuses and evils connected with
the present production and sale of
alcoholic liquors by entirely eliminat-
ing the profit system, which is at the
bottom of all evils in connection with
capitalist production and distribution;
Whereas, prohibition has been made
one of the burning issues" in almost
every municipal, state and national
political campaign OF recent years and
promises to be made more so in the
near future;
Prohibition Has Not Made Good.
Whereas, the Socialist party of st
Louis, in general meeting assembled,
expresses its conviction that the pro
hibition movement Is not only a fail
ure, so far as achieving the objects
! it pretends to achieve, namely. to inn
prove the moral intellectual, material
and social conditions of the great mass
of the people; but we are Of the opin-
ion that it is being used by capitalist
interests to sidetrack the working
class movement and get people to
fight for and against liquor in order
that they may forget and get away
from the greater questions and prob
lens which affect the Socialist and
Labor movement today;
Whereas, experience demonstrates
the fact that the condition Of the work
ing class in those states where pro-
is no better than in localities where,
up to this hour, prohibition could not
find foothold;
Whereas, the Socialist party of St
Louis considers the liquor business as
| Legitimate and as honorable as the
/ coffee, tea, medicine, meat or any
of the business where the proper
remedies must be applied;
Whereas, the Socialist party of this
| city, during it's many successful so
/ cial affairs and festivals, where IL
quors were sold, has proven to the
people that the sale and consumption
Of liquor can be conducted as legiti-
mately and honorably as any other
business; therefore, be it
! Resolved, that the Socialist party Of
St Louis, in general meeting assem-
bled declares itself most emphatically
J
err local, state or national; that we
consider prohibition failure so far as
/ improving the general condition of the
working class is concerned; that in
its efforts to remedy an outgrowth of
capitalist production and sale of liquor
prohibition resorts to extreme meas
oh 10
dangerous to the health, moral, intel
lectua and social development of the
people than the evils complained of
today which it pretends to remedy;
Resolved, that among the rank and
file of organized wage workers of
America there is no group that has
really progressive Trade Union and
bona fide Socialist party movement
than the International Union of the
United Brewery Workers, who rank
among the most intelligent wage work
ers along industrial and political lines,
which is in itself the best argument
! against pTOnlDlLlOH, anu II Is InlS CLASS
of workers who would be hit hardest
/ by prohibition;
! Resolved, that we will do all in our
power to defeat prohibition; but that
at the same time the Socialist party
of st. Louis pledges itself TO do all in
its power to bring about radical re-
forms in the liquor business and by
doing so make said industry as re-
spectacle and as useful as any other
business.
line of understanding steel