The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1916-01-27
LABOR FAvoRs PROHIBITION.


LABOR FAvoRs PROHIBITION.
Occasionally 1t is reported that some
representative of the labor movement
has made a statement rejecting 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
tional Brotherhood Of Locomotive En-
gineers, representing membership OF
10000, passed 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
ton 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this suggestion is repealed on every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
Grafton 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
or scales of employment and reward.
Every cent spent in the liquor bust
ness is wasted. There is no redeem
| ing feature in the saloon. Go any
where where its influence is felt, and
| you see the decentralization it brings.
| The saloon is the enemy of the people.
I am against it and will do all I pos
sibly can to put it out of business
| John B. Lennon, Treasurer American
Federation of Labor.
Almost every labor union scandal
can be traced to the saloons. The
| get drunk, neglect their duties, en-
| bezzle the funds of the union or sell
| out the union, can be traced in almost
| every case to the saloon. 1t 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.
Livery IdUOI oAOu1O ASAI tAO
saloon with all it's power.-John F.
| Cunneen of the International Associa-
| ton 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 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 a
necessary evil. I don't believe in
that kind Of doctrine. Because the
| liquor traffic tends to enslave 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.