The Washington times., 1918-08-13


and the matter OF restoring beer and
light wines to Washington workmen
came in for q vigorous discussion La
borers are deserting this city for
places where they can secure beer, u
was said. and the present prohibition
law was scored as being a cause of the
labor shortage in this city.
A number OF delegates declared
themselves as being teetotalers, but
desirous of seeing beer and wines re
stored as a corrective measure for
many Of the ills now affecting the la
bUr situation. There was q large
gathering of women In the audience,
and several spoke in favor Of the
resolution. One delegate declared the
present situation to be a petty tyran-
ny foisted upon a patient people, and
stated that a dry Washington did not
represent the choice Of q majority OF
the laboring class. .->
Efficiency Decreased.
Instances were cited where efficient
men, who formerly drank beer and
never missed a day from their work,
now are going to Baltimore to get
whiskey, with the result that they
are becoming confirmed whiskey
drinkers and unable to render Q
maximum of efficient labor.
Bootlegging is q constantly grow
ing evil, the labor men declared, and
shop efficiency is being impaired to a
serious extent by the sales Of vile
whiskey.
The limited fare forced upon the
men by the high cost of living makes
beer a necessity to exc out their
meals, II was claimed. Workers are
becoming dissatisfied with living con-
ditions here, and word Is being spread
abroad throughout the country that
washington Is q poor place for the
laboring man to get along, the union
members declared.
Conditions Growing Worse.
The text OF the resolution is as fol-
lows:
whereas conditions in the District
Of Columbia have not been improved
by prohibition, but on the contrary
have become worse, IL anything, with
dissatisfaction becoming increasingly
widespread, more especially among
workingmen, many OF whom. deprived
OF their glass OF beer, are becoming
drinkers Of whiskeyr and that the viii
est sort; and
. Whereas the increased cost Of liv-
ing has materially limited their fare.
and which they would be able to en-
dure more contentedly IL they could
exc out their meals with the use OF
beer. as so large a proportion OF them
had been accustomed to do before pro-
hibition had been forced upon US. and
would otherwise react more cheer
fully to local and other conditions
more or less inseparable from the
conduct Of the war; and
Whereas secret drinking and ca
with their evil consequences,
attributable in no small degree to
that familiar human trait which in
clines men to commit clandestinely
offenses which they would not think
of committing openly; and
Causes Labor Scarcity.
Whereas we believe that the search
ty OF labor, now so acute in several
local industries, is due in no small
part to the constant emigrating Of
to cities as yet free from
the prohibition plague, and to the re-
fusal to remain with us Of working
men attracted here in one manner or
from such cities; the District
having, in Government departments
no less than in commercial lines, an
enormous labor turnover; therefore.
be It
Resolved, That the Central Labor
Union of the District of Columbia
shall Join with other local organiza-
tions in respectfully petitioning the
President of the United States and
the Congress to take such steps as
may be necessary to eliminate the
herein complained of by
the sale, under strict regu-
lations, of beer and light wines in the
District of Columbia; and be 1t fur
ther
Resolved, That a committee be ap-
pointed, at the meeting held upon this
date, IL practicable, for the purposes
of carrying out the objects Of this
resolution; also. that official copies be
forwarded to the president of the
American Federation OF Labor and to
each OF the local newspapers.
Fraternally submitted.
EDWARD o'CoNNoR,
City Firemen.
DANIEL HASSETT.
Plate Printers.
WIN. N. HUTTEL.
L. u. No. ia, Machinists.
J. z. ToONE.
I. L. No SO, Bakery Statesmen.
c. c. COULTER,
L. U. No. 262.
H. S. HOLLOHAN,
President Carpenters and Joiners.
w. w. ADAMSON,
G. E. HATTIN,
GEO. S. ROSSON,
F. J. NOLTE.
w. LEE MORRIS,
Members Of Ex Board U. B. Carpen-
ters and Joiners.
WM. N. HUTTIL,
A. BRIDGES,
G. r. SCOTT.