The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1917-12-04
HOW TO WIN THE WAR.

efficiency of labor for the farm ano
the factory and the battlefield, the
nation should as a war measure
adopt prohibition of the manufac,
t1re and the sale of all alcoholic
drinks, the editor of the Manufac-
turers Record sent to Judge Lovett
chairman of the War Industries
Board, the foregoing letters, call
ing upon the board representing the
Government to forbid the trans
portation of any materials which
enter into the production of alco-
hohc drinks or the handling of the
finished product.
The adoption by the Government
of these suggestions would lmmedl-
atelv cut out the vast amount OF
coal which is now used by brewer
les, at time when millions of peo-
pie are finding it difficult and many
of them finding it impossible to Sc
cure coal for domestic use, and
even Government industries abso-
iutely necessary to produce NUM-
tions of war are unable to secure
the full supply of coal needed.
Every ton of coal that goes into
the manufacture of alcoholic drinks
is thus doubly curse to the nation,
and we do not believe that Presi-
dent Wilson or his advisers can pos
sibly in the light of this situation
fail tc have the courage to shut off
from every brewery the use Of coal.
This would save transportation
and it would save coal. The hand
ling of the raw material which goes
into the manufacture of alcoholic
drinks would be saved, and this
vast amount of foodstuff and feed
stuff could be used for other pur-
poses. The men at the plants now
used for manufacturing kegs and
barrels and bottles and all of the
other things which enter into the
production of alcoholic drinks would
be saved, and everyone OF these
nlants is needed for other purposes,
and every man engaged in them is
needed elsewhere in work for the
nations safety, while now every
man thus engaged is working dl-
rectly against the nations safety.
Moreover, the use of transporta-
ton for such purposes in this time
Of terrible crisis is a crime, when
many things that are needed 1of
life of the individual and of the ma
ton must be delayed or completely
shut off because of the lack of cars
and locomotives.
We are also using railroads for
the shipping Of race horses from
one racetrack to another, and ship
ping the materials needed for the
maintenance of these race horses,
and wasting the transportation OF
the gamblers who run from one
place to another. Cut it all out II
the Government wants to be honest
with the people of the country. Let
us not talk about cuttin g down
Transportation by reducing the
number of passenger trains and
shutting out the handling of non
essential things until we have shut
out the handling Of race horses and
all the paraphernalia connected
with racetrack operations, and un-
til we have shut out the handling OF
whiskey and beer, and everything
that enter into their manufacture,
sale and distribution. These are not
essential industries. They are In
deed handicaps to the winning OF
the war. The complete closing
down of these interests would tre-
mendously increase the efficiency OF
the army and of the men engaged
on farms and in factories in pro-
ducing the things without which we
cannot possibly win the war. More
over, they would take out Of this
destructive business at least half a
million men who could Immediately
find work in constructive opera
tions.
From all parts of the country the