New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-01

themselves. The greater their prosperity
tho greater drunkards they become.
81 have employed highly skilled en-
oineers at top wages and unskilled Ia
borers at much lower rates. My eXperi
ence has been that engineers drink
three or four times as much as LABOR
ers. Moreover, their homes were notn-
ing like as good as those OF the labor
ers. When they were paid on Satur-
dav thew often went with their wives
on n drunk until Tuesday. Then they
began work again TO get money LOT
next weeks 'souse,' while their homes
consisted of a few old sticks, mt only
for firewood, and a few rags on the
floor.
Drunk for Week.
az once took a gun worker, highly
skilled man, to France to test new
gun. made him swear not to touch
alcohol, and did all in my power TO de-
priye him of the opportunity. Despite
this. and despite the Importance OF the
work, he managed to procure sufilcient
drink the first night to get hopelessiy
drunk, and drunk he remained for
eight DAYS. ] had to do entirely with
out him. ! thought | had appealed 10
everything good in his azure, but al
cohol was too strong.
at is the same at tho present time
The English workman can't even THINK
of patriotism when il is a question OF
getting his drink. Apart from drink,
nothing else in life really matters TO
him. He cannot stop to think that Eng
land is fighting for her life. The time
has now come when only drastic meas
ures can prevail. Mr.. Lloyd George IS
proceeding in the right direction.
am not politician enough to know
whether he would be better advised to
come out for prohibition right away.
but do know that every time he makes
a workingman put more water with
whiskey through making whiskey
dearer he is doing England the great
est service possible. Once drink IS cut
off, there should be no difficulty what
soever in making either guns or NUM-
tons"
Laborite Defends Supporters.
J. Ramsay Macdonald, leader Of the
Labor party, in an interview sought by
The Tribune correspondent criticised
Mr.. Lloyd Georges speech as making
unmerited aspersions on workingmen.
1--WE want to know whether the Cham
cellor's charges are based on an ex-
haustive examination of all munitlon
factories and shipyards," he said. III
they depend solely upon the eX parte
statements of isolated employers, then
it is ridiculous to base thereon either
charges of this character or drastic
legislation.
"When the debate is resumed in the
House Of Commons next Tuesday we
hope to be ready with figures disprov-
ing Mr.. Lloyd Georges statements.
One can't play with this question; 1t is
too serious. II only rs per cent of the
Chancellor's indictments Of the habits
of British munition workers is within
the truth, then his proposals cons'i-
tute an anti-climax. On the other
hand, speaking for labor, | car say
that the statistics he has supplied.
coming as they do from anonymous
employers, carry with them no value.
If we are going to have accusations
against even a substantial minority OF
workmen, then the names and places
should be ~iven so that they can be
checked. I wouldn't think for mo-
ment of protecting any man or body or
men who can be justly described by
some of the phrases used by our Chan
cellor of the Exchequer, but it is the
duty of those who make themselves re-
sponsible for the charges to give every
one a chance of knowing exactly and
definitely against whom the charges
are made"
James 0'Grady, NJ. P, speaking to-
day on the same subject, said: mo
case has been made out for ascribing
thc loss of working hours in ship
yards to excessive drinking. The
books of an approved national as
surance society whereof l am chair
man are filled with men on the sick
list, not becaus. Of drink, but because
of physical Exhaustion"