The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-08-20

hour; anti-drinking literature 10 dis
| tributed to the men for home con-
sumption; the walls and bulletin
| boards are covered with warnings
against the saloon: and. in certain
| eastern States "water-wagon clubs'
are being organized among work.
men, Some concerns assign regular
hours for instruction in the physical
and mental effects of alcohol, and pay
! the men full wages for the time spent
! In this educational COURSE
The anti-alcohol campaign has now
| become part of the safety first"
movement This elaborate program
Initiated for the purpose of improving
our disgraceful national record for
Industrial accidents, now regards the
struggle against alcohol as b neces-
sary part Of its work. In 1914 the
General Round Table meeting OF the
National Safety Council devoted a
,arge amount OF time to discussing this
question. More than seven hundred
representatives of industry stood up
and adopted a resolution declaring
that the drinking of alcoholic stimu-
lants is productive of heavy per-
centage OF accidents and of disease
affecting the safety and efficiency OF
working men" The National Safety
Council is conducting a bulletin board
factories aimed directly at the work
ing man. Every week more than two
million employees read It's startling
hroadsides mot safety first, but
sober first" has now become Its cry,
and safety sobriety. success" IL an
other succinct motto recommended to
the laborlng classes
Not infrequently q visitor to al
most any great plant today sees groups
OF toll hardened men, absorbing wis
dom from the Safety Councils postera
Here Is a picture showing an aged
drunkard Keeling out of a saloon door
. before which stands a neatly dressed
young man, with one foot inside, but
With his eyes hesitatingly glancing
back at the disappearing derelict The
heading, "A danger signal" conveys
its lesson, Another group stands be-
fore poster showing a huge bottle tn
scribed. as follows: "Whiskey. We
guarantee 1t to do these things: Max Q
money, friends. family. self-oonfidence,
money, friends family. self-conhdence,
courage, health. and life-that's
all" Another shows workman
walking tho primrose path OF promo
ton across this path lies q bottle
on which is written Booze" Here Ia
he pictorial representation OF q work
man, his shoulders piled with enoum-
hrances intended to portray the bur
dens under which he must struggle
toward success. The most conspicu-
Gus bears the legent Booze" Other
posters contain. In large type, pithy
questions ana condensed sermons. "A
saloon keeper who sells booze will not
employ a drunkard as a bartender.
Think II over" Perhaps the prize
of all these broadsides, certainly one
W, III Tk ri t.
the following printed in succession
OF red and black ink:
BOOZE
We want only clear-thinking men
! In our employ.
You cannot think clearly and act
safely If you are a boozer.
Booze poisons the brain. It stimu-
lates FOR a short time only---$hen dead
ems the senses.
! When men minds are dull acct
dents are bound to occur. 1t takes
alertness--quick thinking and acting
to avoid danger.
II you must booze. then don't re-
port for work We don't want booz-
ers on our promises. They are dan
gerous. not only to themselves, but
to all others who come In contact with
them.
Booze will never get you Job nor
! help you hold one.
Booze will not help you pay your
debts nor increase your earning pow
or
| Booze and work won't mix Sooner
or later one must be sacrificed for the
other.
Side-tract booze before booze side
tracks you.
What good liz industrial prohibition
accomplishing Perhaps the expert
ence OF one manufacturing district