The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-07-04
BREWERY AGENTS LIE
ABOUT CONDITIONS
As Usual, Cincinnati Enquirer Boosts
Game OF the Brewer---Is Found
Guilty of Misrepresentation.
ABOUT THE LABOR CONDITIONS.
Newspaper OF That City Writes
American Issue and Shows That
Claims and Assertions OF Vets Arc
Undiluted Falsehoods

Brewer agents are already busy
sendt-g out canards about the alleged
trcdbles in Detroit growing out of
the prohibition law which went into
effect In Michigan the LIST of May.
These brewers are being aided by wet
newspapers In Ohio and elsewhere.
The Cincinnati Enquirer carried
story May 30, sent out from it's CO.
lumbus bureau, which, by the way,
never misses an opportunity to lie
for the wet cause nor to minimize and
belittle the work of the drys. From
this story we quote:
while the grumblings of the anti
prohibitionists over the kickless beer
have been heard through the land ru
mors of another sort come to Ohio from
Michigan. II reports are true Ii Is
with genuine alarm that the leaders
in Michigan are watching develop
ments. From Detroit comes the word
that the big automobile manufacturers.
many Of whom embraced prohibition
at long range. are not satisfied with
present prospects,
They fear that an exodus of their
Indispensable workmen in sufficient
numbers to cause them real trouble
will take place. Ohio Will gain many
Of those who dislike the drastic rules
of prohibition. it is stated.
The statement is made on the other
hand, by supporters of prohibition,
that they do not believe that the exo-
dus will be large enough to affect De-
troit very seriously. However. 1t is
admitted that 1t Is going to be diff
cult to keep men in Detroit"
The American Issue had reason to
believe IL was merely more OF the
Enquirer's wet propaganda, and asked
one OF the leading daily newspapers OF
Detroit to verify or disprove the En-
quirer's story Promptly came back
the following. which is complete
refutation of the Enauirer's article;
THE eager anticipatious and warn
ings from the liquor interests in Mich
igan before May / that a great exodus
OF workmen would follow the institu-
tion of prohibition on that date have
not been realized. But this did not
deter the still active National Brew
ers' association followers in Miehi-
gan from circulating the canard that
the exodus had actually taken place
and that Henry Fords factory was
about to shut down.
Every newspaper in Detroit was
supplied with a tip to the effect that
Henry Ford had gone to Washington
to entreat of the president that NUM-
ton workers in Michigan be permitted
beer as war emergency measure be-
cause the Ford men had left In droves
for Ohio.
Visions OF the Ohio state troops
being called out to prevent the Ford
multitudes from falling over the state
line started every Detroit city editor
and telegraph editor TO work. But.
alas. for the sensation Secretary LIE
beld, OF the Ford Motor company. an
nounced that Henry Ford was not in
Washington. that he was not going to
| Washington that he did not want beer
for his workers, that the shortage of
tabor was no greater on MAY Is than
II had been on Aprll Il and that the
number OF men who failed to turn up
on Monday morning had diminished
under prohibition to a large extent
la Dor is short in Detroit because OF
the large factory demands on the
$4,000. 900 war contract work. No
single factory in Detroit has made
complaint In the public prints that 1t
has lost men because of prohibition.
The justice courts have lost Is per
cent OF their business Probation Of
ficer CASTOR says his work has fallen
nearly so per cent since the town went
dry three weeks ago In Justice Hes
toms court the number Of small GRIM
inai offenses. of wife -beatings, wife de-
sertions, of acts OF violence and of
drunkenness have frlien In marked
degree.
There was a great shortage of po-
icemen because of the labor demands.
Now the shortage il not felt as the
police have much less to do. The
"golden-rule" offenders were formerly
taken home drunk have disappeared
Drunkenness is now a rarity. The city
has accepted prohibition calmly.
"A primary election contest APP
proaches. The bar-to-bar methods of
campaigning have gone. The much
rumored reaction against prohibition
has not arrived Detroit, the largest
city in the world that has absolute pro-
hibition. bone dry, is also the busiest
and the quietest city in the world as
can be substantisted by the factory
poy rolls and by the police records
Yes. there was one exodus. an exodus
Of bartenders to Ohio, some 200 of
them These had not been on the Ford
or other factory pay rolls"