The Prescott daily news., 1915-11-03
LABOR FkVORS PROHIBITION.

-'N- VII FtNOno FhST1i Dt 1ON.
 Occasionally it is reported that some representative of the labor movement has made a statement refiecting upon the value of prohibition. That such statement does not voice the senti- ments of the rank and file of the la Dor organizations is certain Whole bodies of labor unionists have gone on record in favor of prohibition. and men in high official positions in the American Federation of Labor have been most emphatic and outspoken against the liquor business. The Ma tlonal Brotherhood of Locomotive En- glneers, representing a membership of lO,O0O passed a resolution in favor of prohibition, and the labor unions of Pasadena, Cal, sent out to the unions of the nation a plea to work and vote for the elimination of the saloon. urg- ing the benefits they had experienced from being in dry territory. At the convention of the American Fedora tion of Labor held in Toronto in the fall of 1914, despite the activity of a strong liquor lobby, the argument that the saloon is the 'workingman's club" was emphatically repudiated.
 In various ways and on many occa- sions the evil influence of the saloon has been recognized and pointed out by the labor unions of the United States. While the liquor interests have sought to convey the impression that there was some common inter- est between trade unionism and the manufacture and sale of intoxicants. this suggestion is repelled on every occasion when the matter is present ed to the labor men in it's true light and when the malign purpose of the liquor interests is exposed to view.- John Mitchell of the United Mine Workers of America, and formerly Vice-President of the American Fed eration of Labor.
 Who can deny that the liquor traffic is driving men and women to work in factories, workshops and wash-tubs who ought not to be there, and boys and girls into industrial life who should be in school or on the play ground? The liquor traffic tends to decrease wages, never to increase them The use of alcohol makes men less skillful and drives men to low CT scales of employment and reward. Every cent spent in the liquor busi- ness is wasted. There is no redeem ing feature in the saloon. Go any where where it's influence is felt, and you see the decentralization it brings. The saloon is the enemy of the people 1 am against it and will do all I pos sibly can to put it out of business.- John R. Lennon Treasurer American Federation of Labor
 Almost every labor union scandal can be traced to the saloons. The downfall of labor union officers who get drunk, neglect their duties, em- bezzle the funds of the union or sell out the union, can be traced in almost every case to the saloon. It means disgrace to the union to have the shortcomings of it's officers aired in the courts of the land and the less of it the better for the labor union Every labor union should fight the saloon with all it's power.-John r. Cunneen of the International Associa- tion of Machinists.
 If you want to know where the miners of America stand upon the temperance question, I'll tell you. In our constitution we have a clause which forbids any member to sell in toXicants, even at a picnic That's what we think of the liquor traffic Some people say the saloon is necessary evil. l don't believe in that kind of doctrine Because the liquor traffic tends to enslaye the peo- pie to make them satisfied with i'm proper conditions, and keeps them ignorant. the leaders of the trades unions are called on to fight the sa- loon.-Thomas L. Lewis of the United Mine Workers.