New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-05
By THE REV. BEN +. wNLAND

\ campaign Of publicity in the labor
press 20 fight the saloon. both as
war measure and as a means Of coun-
tcractiag the attempt Of the liquor IN
tcrests TO control the American labor
movement, has been inaugurated by the
Federal Council OF the Churches Of
Christ .n America. which represents
thirty different religious bodies, with
q membership OF thirty million adher-
cnts. Large advertisements will appear
for the next three months simultane-
ously i'm one hundred leading papers
Of the labor world.
4 special conference has been called
by the Federal Council of the Churches
ia Washington May 8 and 9, at which
the relation Of the saloon to the war
and to the working man will be dls.
cussed. and the Committee OF Sixty, ot
which Professor Irving Fisher, o. Yale
is chairman. will formulate bill ASK
iuc Congress 10 declare prohibition III
America now war necessity Every
church conference and ministers brotn-
crhood has been asking for the intern
Kentucky distillcr has volunteered 10
suspend his business during the period
Of the war. significant thing hap
pened recently in Christ Church
Springfield. when an audience number
ing fourteen hundred persons inter-
rupted the sermon by rising to their
feet and taking pledge TO abstain
from the use Of intoxicating drinks
during the continuance Of the war.
IF We are to win this war, If the
working mans strength IL 10 be pre-
served. if the industries Of our nation
arc 10 reach their maximum OF produc-
ton. then we first must close the sa-
loon" said Charles Sickle, who Is III
charge OF the present campaign 10:
the Federal Council of Churches. Read
this statement signed by thousands OF
Englatnd's laboring men, as well a by
her greatest citizens he added, point
ing TO ,hc following statement:
Drink binders the army; II Is the
cause OF yraye delay with munitions; u
keeps thousands Of men from war WORK
every day. and makes good, sober WORK
men second rate. II hampers the navy;
it delays transports, places them at the
mercy of submarines, and congestS
docks. II threatens our mercantile ma
rine: 10 has absorbed during the war
over two hundred million cubic feet O.
space. and il IetardS the building OF
ships 10 reDlace our losses. 10 dlverts
the nations strength; it uses 100000
workers. 100000 acres of land and
10000 tons Of coal year; and dur
ing the war il has involved the hitting
ard handling on road and rail of
weight equal to 50.000.000 tons
The food question and the proper
conservation Of all cereals have placed
a new weapon Of offence IN the hands
of the Church in its present campaign
against the saloon. seven billion
pounds Of foodstuffs in America are
used annually in the manufacture OF
LIQUORS" II was pointed out 10 an m
ouircr. an England alone drink during
the war has consumed over 3.5OO,OOO
tons Of food. with sugar enough to last
that nation one hundred days TINS
continuous misuse of fOodstufs IN the
United States will boost the cost OF liv-
ing. Furthermore. II will decrease the
efficiency and break down the morale OF
our soldiers. At the time when the ne
cessity for life and health is supreme
Iy urgent. whskey will be increasing
disease. But. above all. too much food
is being wasted that is sorely needed
By our own nation, as well as by our
allies
Industry must be spceded up if we
are 10 meet the present submarine men
ace. alcohol wcakens efficiency SAID
Or. Walter Eauschenbusch. "A small
dose of alcohol increases the muscular
OUTPUT for few minutes. and then Il
takes a day or two TO recover from the
effects. \ man cannot set type or add
a column Of figures or perform muscu-
lar motions as fast and as steadily as
if he had not taken alcohol into his
system"
we are lighting Germany. Austria
and drink. and. as far as ! can see:
said Mr.. Stelzle. quoting the words
of LLOYD George. 80 the greatest of the
three foes is drink This campaign 10
reach the working man is timely and
essential. ! am approaching the prob
lem largely from the economic stand
point AT present, and ! believe we can
win and we can close the saloon up.
Moreover. that is the unanimous senti-
ment Of Christian America -close the
saloon"