El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-06-27
Cutting Off The Beer.

CONGRESS has problem before it in the Jones amend
- meut to the emergency agriculture appropriation bill
This amendment which in the hands Of the senate
agricultural committee, If enacted into law would force
prohibition during the period Of the by forbiddng the
use Of grain in the manufacture Of malt liquors.
Opposition from three sources; from those who
oppose prohibition in any form; from those who oppose
deprving the worker especially, Of his beer while he
being called put forth MS best efforts for the
nation and from those who would be willing to cut off
beer if the sale Of distilled and fermeuted (wine) liquors
stopped also. They the ones who say that wines
brandy and coTdias beverages Of the rich while beer
is the poor mans drink and Is to be cut of, the
other should be also True enough The poor IS
much entitled 10 his beer the uch to his whisky
and brandy President Wilson is understood to be opposed
to the amendment because he believes prohibiting beer and
allowing the sale Of strong liquors would cause people to
turn from beer to whisky and brandy from the lesser evil
to the greater.
This then would seem to point to the prohibitOniss
solution Of the problem Save grain food by cutting
off the brewing Of beer Put liquor out of business entirely
by cutting off the sale Of other liquors.
But Immediately there arises this objection; eastern
bankers contend that because Of the millions Of dollars
worth Of strong liquors held as property for sale property
covered by loans many instances enforcement Of pro
bon applying to them would ruin thousands Of firms
and individuals because It would depreclate the value OF
the security and the calling Of the loans and IN
event, leave mems hands property OF little value
whereas they had invested heavily in it.
Then If 1t IS possible to cut off liquor altogether
distilled well malt let beer remain There is moral
principle involved and but side to that Liquor is
physically harmful sin begettng and crime peng. But
to bar out beer and leave champagne would be almost class
legislation
EurLnermOre L1eIe pIODdplllLy OF DdQ
ship workers and muniton makers coal miners and other
workmen who are engaged in helping the nation win the
BY hundreds Of thousands, they drink their beer
usually with their lunch Just aferward They are men
Of strong convictions and sensitive to injustice real
imagined. One could imagine a shipbuilder saying:
Here ssm, working long hours at top speed to help
the and does the government appreciate It? No.
because congress has cut off my beer An interference
with personal liberty.
Now England found necessary sharply to curtail
sumption of beer and ale because shpbuders and miners
drinking too much. Earning higher wages than they
had known, able 10 pleasures purely physical
than any other they spent too much time IN the
public house and too little their work Their idea Of
good time to take many holidays possible from
the yards and mines with without permission, and to
spend the time drinking heavily that they almost
worthless after they returned the yards mines This
affected production seriously that the government
quick to put restrictions it.
But, far learned rot having much trouble
Of that kind IN war plants. We have the word Of
chairman Hurley Of the shipping board and Of Bainbrdge
Colby, his assistant, that most Of the very
moderate drinkers content with single glass OF beer with
their meals Many Of them foreigners and their ideas
prohibition not They unable why
they should not have their beer
It nearly approaches this To stop the supply Of beer to
these by congressional act would nearly be
raned personal interference It is different when state
goes dry. When state from the licensed saloon 10
prohibition It does after vote Of those eligible to vote
workers included. They have their say. Even If their
vote is negative and the state goes Dry, still they know
they have had the opportunity to express their viii and
they willing all American mnorties, to abide
by the VIII Of the majority.
This would still hold congress TO make effec-
tive during the constitutional amendment providing
for prohibition, for the legislatures Of all the states would
have to vote and adoption Of the amendment could
only be accomplished by affirmative vote Of two-thrds OF
the Legislatures The principle Of representation is again
upheld Congress is of course representative Of the people
but in faroff sort Of way. And there has been
national pebisce prohibiting manufacture Of beer dur
ing the period of the The difference that between
order in council and popular expression Of Will