The Washington herald., 1919-07-04
DRY LAW HELPS
"REDS," SAYS
G0MPERS
Detroit Radicals Flourish
Since Beer Was Denied
Workmen.
MINERS In OPEN REVOLT
Resent Rich Having Full
Cellars While They
Can't Get Drop.
MINERS In OPEN REVOLT

DoioHoNisu IolioWs pronlDltlon,
according to a report filed yesterday
with the Senate Judiciary Commit
tee by Samuel Gompers, president
of the American Federation of La
Dor.
Such has been the result in
Michigan, where Bolshevism has
made enormous strides since the
advent of prohibition in that State.
the report charges.
Prior to May. 1918, when Michi-
gan went dry, efforts of radical
agitators to organize in that State
were Ineffective. although large
sums of money were spent for
propaganda purposes. Gompers de-
cIares. During fourteen months of
prohibition. however. he asserts
that "the alteration in Detroit con-
ditions has been amazing. not to
say sinister and threatening
"Reds- Make Sinister Gains.
Here are some Of the things which
Gompers says have followed the ad-
vent of prohibition in Michigan:
The House of the Masses. the
home Of the radicals in Detroit. has
built up a membership of p 800. There
are 1900 shareholders in this organ
ixation- They have a capital invest
ment in their buildings of $4,000.
"over $4,000 was spent in Detroit
alone for propaganda work.
The Labor Museum. another rad
ical organization. has a capital invest
ment of SIS. 900 in its Detroit building.
Since prohibition. the miners OF
Michigan have been turning in droves
to the I. w. w"
Gompers' statement is based. il is
said, on a report made to him by a
trained investigator who was sent to
Michigan and spent several weeks
there examining every phase of che
prohibition and radical questions. He
submitted it to the committee as part
Of the protest of the Federation
against the enactment of legislation
depriving workmen of light wines and
beer.
as Radical Societies.
Gompers' statement contains a list
of forty-eight radical organizations
in Detroit. of every race and every
cult. all centering their propaganda
upon the radical teachings of Le-
nine and Trotzky. He also publishes
a list of 125 radical pamphlets and
booklets which have been distributed
by the hundreds of thousands in De-
troit and throughout Michigan. over
oOO, 900 copies of the Russian Soviet
constitution have been sold in the
city of Detroit alone, the statement
AYERS.
That the radical movement thus
referred to is not confined to the
city of Detroit is asserted by Com
pers in the following portion of his
statement:
THE radical propaganda that is
making headway so rapidly in De-
troit is spreading throughout Michi-
gan. In the upper peninsula the
copper miners are in open revolt
against the absence OF their accus-
toned beer, which they regard as
mart Of their daily diet. The dis
satisfied miners are turning toward
'radicalism in shoals
Resent Rich Having Wine.
The Investigator who made the
report to Gompers found that the
resentment of the workingmen was
not alone due to the deprivation OF
beer, but that indignation blazes
forth" at the idea that while the
poor man is thus deprived the
wealthy classes who took the bev-
erage away from him have their
cellars filled against all future
needs" On this point. Gompers in
his statement says:
Also the moving spirits in the
Employers Association are strong
for prohibition in public, while
priyately they have carloads or
trainIoads of wet goods for their
own consumption in their city and
country homes. At the sale of the
late ]. p. Morgan's wine-cellar, a
monument member of the Detroit
Employers Association purchased
sac. 900 worth of choice wines and
wbiskies for home consumption.
He has been one of the foremost
supporters of prohibition for Michi-
gan. loudly denouncing the working
man who wuold sQuander nickel
on a glass cf beer and thereby
wreck his health and. imperil his
financial future.
Blames Prohibitionists.
In the conclusion of his statement
Gompers declares that prohibitionists
will be responsible IL the Boisheuk
doctrine gains headway in this coun-
try. He says:
Oppressive legislation begets radi-
cal propa aganda. and should Bolshevik
doctrine ever obtain a foothold IN tnis
nation, which God forbid. the PROM
bitionists will not be free from respon-
sibility."