Evening star., 1918-06-19
Former Secretary Bryan
Speaks for Dry Amendment;
Labor Protests Enactment

Hearings on the Jones prohibition
amendment to the emergency agri-
cultural appropriation bill were re-
sumed today before the Senate agri-
cultural committee. Both sides were
represented by a large number of wit
nesses, the principal witness for the
drys being William J. Bryan, former
Secretary of State, who urged enact
ment of nationwide prohibition as a
war measure.
Anna A. Gordon, national president
of the Women's Christian Temperance
Union, the first witness, appealed to
the committee to favorably report the
| amendment, declaring prohibition as
necessary to uphold the morale OF
the country and to conserve labor SO
the war can be successfully prose-
cuted.
Labor Files Protest.
A protest against the proposed
measure from the heads of the inter-
can Federation of Labor was pre-
sented to the committee by Joseph
Proebstle of Cincinnati, Ohio, general
secretary of the United Brewery and
Soft Drink Workers.
This legislation will render an un-
this nation. the petition says.
The curtailment of beer and wine
from the scanty fare of the toilers
will create dissatisfaction and we
urge upon you not to consider favor
ably any further prohibition legisla-
tion,' it adds.
Mir. Proebstle told the committee
that the petitions were signed by
each individual executive official of
the various unions, representing more
than two million workmen, and while
the resolution was not formally
passed on by the federation in session
in st. Paul, the committee named to
carry the petition to Washington was
designated by President Samuel
Gompers.
Declared to Speak Officially.
Are these men speaking officially
for this movement" asked Senator
man of the committee.
.They are" replied Mr.. Proebstle.
who said it is always conceded in
organized labor that the officers know
the sentiment of the members and act
accordingly.
$50 you mean to say this is an
official protest" asked Senator Smith.
81 take it so,'' was the reply, ''for no
official would take it upon himself to
take this action without it being the
He said when the delegates ascertain
ed through Associated Press dispatches
that such legislation was pending be-
fore Congress it caused "a storm of
Indignation" Replying to questions
of various senators in order to ascer-
tain if these petitions had the back
ing of the federation, he said that
under the organizations rules such
petitions could not be circulated on the
convention floor.
Asked why labor has not protested
against the prohibition Of whisky, Mr..
Proebstle said they do not consider
that drink necessary, but they do con-
slider beer as being necessary and be-
lieye it will render an unnecessary
hardship on the toilers.
Appeals for Scientific Inquiry.
Mr.. Proebstle appealed to the COM
'mittee to make a scientific investiga-
prohibition legislation at this time as
England did. Sixty thousand men are
now engaged in the brewing industry,
he estimated, of which only about
per cent are of draft age. He said in
vestigation shows that prohibition is
ineffective, declaring where there
were four breweries in Oregon before
the dry law went into effect there are
now $4,000 home breweries in opera
tion in that state. By home brew
cries, he explained. was meant small
breweries in the homes.
Representative Randall of Califor-
mia, author of a prohibition amend
ment to the pending bill which the
committee has rejected, told the COM
mittee that. despite reported opposi-
ton to prohibition in California. gen.
eral sentiment in that state is in ia
vor of 1t. Representative Randal! said
most of the opposition to the Jones |
amendment comes from the California |
Wine Association, which he declared |
is the wine trust controlling 80 per |
cent Of the wine production in that |
state and having headquarters in