The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-02-10

Tho united temperance forces of
America represented in the national leg
islative conference, which met in
Washington January Is. have declared for
an immediate drive on Congress for war
prohibition. The resolution passed by
the conference reads as follows:
Whereas, the power conferred upon
the President of the United States by
the food conservation act does not cover
the sale of alcoholic beverages during
the war; and,
Whereas, 1t is our judgment that
there is widespread demand for war
prohibition,
Therefore, be it resolved, by the ma
tional legislative conference that we re-
affirm OUT attitude favoring war pro-
hibition and that we call upon patriotic
citizens OF the nation to make clear to
members of Congress the necessity for
action prohibiting the sale of alcoholic
liquors during the war"
Mrs. Martha M. Allen in the following
open letter to the New York Tribune
explains the relation of beer to the coal
shortage:
your editorial suggestions that coal
can be saved by closing breweries should
meet with the hearty approval of all
who have been suffering from lack Of
coal.
Congress has given power to the
President to stop the manufacture of
beer during the war, SO there is a way
to divert the brewery coal elsewhere If
people want to do so. The householders
suffering from cold, and the manufactur-
ers and theatre managers whose bust
ness Is threatened with closing down,
should start a campaign of letters and
kilograms to the President protesting
against the discrimination in favor Of
the breweries in the matter of coal, and
demanding that the breweries be closed
as arranged by Congress. Beer Is not
la product essential to the well-being OF
the nation, but exactly the reverse.
"On October %, 1917. more than 1000
coal operators met in Pittsburg. 1t was
stated at this meeting that considerably
more coal could be mined il there were
a five-mile dry zone around every coal
NINE but nothing has been done to take
advantage of this suggestion. Meth
odlst minister living in the coal regions
of Pennsylvania recently wrote the
Christian Advocate of New York, the
brewery ruled, beer-soaked, crime-cursed
Schulykill regions with their saloons ga
lore. re Ealus IL you want more coal
shut the saloons Liquor agents tell the
miners that the dust in the mine can
be overcome by beer and whisky. and the
miners believe this commercial lie.
.'If the breweries were closed 1000 trains
a day would be released to carry Goa
and food and other supplies badly need
ed. Mr.. Il. D. Leach. assistant fue
administrator of Ohio. says 5000 trains a
day are occupied in carrying raw ma.
terials to breweries. He does not give
the number of train carrying the beer
over the country. To release these trains
for the use of legitimate and necessary
business should be demanded of the gov
eminent authorities.
THE food destroyed in the manufac
ture of beer is something the women OF
the nation should make an outcry
against. Why not ask Uncle Sam to sigr
a conservation card on the beer ques-
ton?
ITO close the breweries will relieve
the shortage of labor now so acute ir
many industries. A large army OF mer
would be released for useful labor who
are now employed in making a drink thai
Injuries the body. lowers resistance tc
disease, and materially reduces working
efficiency as shown by many scientific