The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-08-16

IoSSen1ng or the consumption or Equor
were to be desired. You intimated,
however, that Sunday closing could not
be enforced in Milwaukee. It is en-
forced in Chicago and st. Louis. We
deny that this city is more lawless and
less amenable to governmental author
ity than other great cities. We believe
you do your own city an injustice.
You say that it would dampen the
ardor of labor for this government at a
time when we need their loyal support.
Labor is now fighting, and will continue
to fight, inspired by love of home, not
the Sunday public house. They love
peace ut tie esrowler. y Men will
not fight for beer, though they some
times fight over it.
You talked of labor strikes if this
were enforced. Strikes and riots are
invariably started while the saloons are
open. The first move to settle them is
to close the saloons. Labor and capital
soon arbitratc successfully when saloon ]
are closed Beer never calls for a
council. 1t prompts riot, incendiarism
and violence. We believe you do labor
an injustice. At least, we entertain a
higher opinion Of labor than that.
You said it was the intention of the
sponsors of the Evjue bill to raise the
Grace ISSUE and "set Germans against
Americans. We believe that our Ger
man Americans rally round the flag
not the keg; that they have enshrined
Old Glory in their hearts, not in their
stomachs, that they came here for lib
erty, not for license. We believe that
your solicitude regarding the attitude
Of our American citizens of German ex-
traction does them a serious injustice.
You said you were thinking of the
plain people who would resent the de-
privation of the Sunday saloon.' We
are at war. Already we are doing-do-
ing gladly, even enthusiastically
things which would bring revolt in
times of security and peace. There
will never be time when this law
could be so easily enforced as now.
So far from being rendered difficult by
the war, the task is made easy.
The increase of industrial accidents
on Monday due to Sunday selling, with
its consequent state compensation for
the accidents, adds to the taxpayers
burden at time when taxes are unus-
ually heavy. These accidents also be-
speak Sunday as a day of excessive
drinking. So also do the shortage of
men on Mondays, spoiled material and
inferior production added to which is
the eloquent testimony of the Monday
police court. All of these things weak
en- us in the face Of the enemy The
least that patriotism can do at this
time would be to eliminate the day of
excessive drinking, viz, Sunday. Will
you not do this for your country IS safe
ty7
Even the liquor men say they deplore
g excessive drinking. Likewise, their
associations loudly profess loyalty to
America. May we not take them at
their word and, at time when the ex-
cpssive drinking which naturally and
necessarily goes with Sunday selling inn
perils our nation, ask them, in the
name of patriotism, to obey at least
enc of the laws regulating their bus
iness7
If you insist on calling special SEES
sion, we insist that the question ought
to be squarely raised upon its merits
by asking fo- repeal of the statute,
and that this ought to be backed by
a declaration from your office that in
case the legislature again refuses to
repeal you will use every resource at
your command to see that it is enforced.
We shall leave off as we began, by
declaring ourselves unalterably opposed
to the calling of such a session for this
purpose as expensive and unnecessary.
Very cordially yours,
Wisconsin Anti Saloon League.
Henry Coleman, Secretary.