The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1917-07-20
Business Men Who Asked
Congress to Save Grain
for Food Receive
Letters From Vets
RESENT IMPLIED THREAT
Manufacturers and Dealers Associa-
tion Gets Some Hot Replies to
Its Letter Of Inquiry
BIG FIRMS ARE DRY

OH JuHe OU d large nu1nDer OF Dig
Chicago firms sent petition to Con-
gress in favor of the Barkley-Webb
amendment providing for the Prohibi-
tion of the use of foodstuffs for beer
wine or whisky.
When the names of these firms be-
came public, the Manufacturers and
Dealers Association sent a circular
letter to each one in what is appar-
emily an attempt to frighten business
concerns in order to prevent them
from expressing their views on Pro-
hibition. Their efforts in this direc-
ton met with very little success. The
firms addressed have resented the i'm
piled threat and have not hesitated to
express their views. The following
is the letter sent to each concern
whose name appeared on the dry pc
tition:
Gentlemen:-At the request of
several valuable customers of o.
yours, who are members of this
Association, we take the liberty of
asking you if you really did sign
a petition that was sent to each
Congressman in Washington by
the so-called Anti-Saloon League
asking them to vote FAVOR
ABLE on the BARKLEY-
WEBB AMENDMENTS which
provides for the confscation and
destruction of millions of dollars
worth OF legitimate business prop
erty and throwing at least 5,000,-
600 persons out of employment.
The name of your firm appears
on all the petitions. EVERY
MAN KNOWS HIS OWN
BUSINESS BEST, at the same
time we cannot make ourselves
believe that your firm would allow
your name to be used for the pur-
pose.
The firms making the request
wish to give you the benefit of the
doubt, therefore, would you mind
telling us if you DID or DID
NOT sign the petition?
An early reply will be appre-
ciated.
Yours in anticipation,
Manufacturers & Dealers Asso.
(Signed) A. P. Daniels,
Business Manager.
The following are few of the re-
plies sent to the wet organization to-
gether with the names of the firms
who are not at all adverse to having
their position made public:
July 10, 1917.
The Manufacturers & Dealers Asso-
citation of America, Delaware Build
ing, SO w. Randolph street, Chi
Gao, I'll.
Attention Mr.. A. p. Daniels
Gentlemen:-I am in receipt of
your letter of the 9th inst, stating
that several of our valuable custom
ers have requested that you write us
to ascertain whether this company
signed petition StIl ~ CdCil NOii-
gressman asking support for the Bark
ley-Webb amendment. If these valu-
able customers really desire to know
whether we signed such a petition,
would suggest that they write to the
undersigned who will be pleased to
give them the information direct.
AS to your statement that the effect
of such legislation would be to throw
100000 persons out of employment,
would suggest that if those persons
are really patriotic, large number of
them can find a place serving Uncle
Sam who is in need of good men of
military age and many more can find
employment in industrial concerns
making useful articles.
When a good part of the world is
starving, it should be considered GRIM
inal to use large quantities of food ma
terial in producing useless poison
which causes suffering and misery to
thousands of innocent women and
children besides wrccking the lives of
thousands of users.
Liquor dealers have known for sew
.ral years that the majority of the
people of the u. s. were opposed to
{ Continued on Page Twol