Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-04-08
Il 10 Not "Labors" Booze Howl.

Il 10 Not "Labor's" Booze Howl.
The Boston papers say that about
$4,000 people" were at "one Of the
greatest mass meetings ever held on
Boston Common Sunday afternoon
under the auspices of the Central
Labor Union to protest against the
Prohibition proclamation of President
Wilson-the war measure signed last
November-which goes into effec:
July unless repealed
OF course there can DE no means Of
knowing or Of reasonably estima ting
the number of people present who
were actually protesting" the pro-
hibitory law. The booze interests
with characteristic cunning, had Sc
lected Sunday afternoon as the
psychological time for spectacular
showing and numbers that could be
boosted.
Fifty thousand men, women and
children say the reports, de-
nounced the law and called upon the
President 10 lift the ban. OF course
the thousands Of children out to see
the sights, and the thousands 0.
curious men and women who had no
sympathy with the ooze-promoted
affair, all became of the protestants
for propaganda uses of the whiskey
and beer and wine makers and SELL
ers.
OF course there are men. and wom-
en-. too, in every labor organization
who are opposed to any restriction OF
their personal liberty" to indulge in
intoxicants to any limit, but all labor
should not be judged by these disci.
pies Of license to make fools of them
selves il they wish to.
And Of course the world always
has had and long will continue to
have large percentage Of citizens
who are ready to take their own
chances with their own thirsts, taste.
and passions, and who never had a
thought or care for the welfare OF
others in the present or the future
To these the booze interests have
made their bid in subtle terms OF
your right your liberty" your
innocent pleasures" your necessary
medicines" etc, etc, Of which "you
are being robbed" by fanatics and
cranlls," by "selfish minority
The baser side OF the most illiterate
element OF our soldiers in Europe and
now returning. has been appealed to
by the tools Of the liquor interests
Every conceivable effort is being
made to arraign these soldiers
against the law and to show them as
demanding their rights" in ruffian
ism and TO give their money to the
booze makers and sellers and their
future to the devil.
Tremendous endeavors have beer
made by these devilish interests te
inspire the government by organized
labor, and misguided branches OF
labor organizations have fallen into
the trap in some cases. But it is
not the voice Of the great masses OF
working people. who are ashamed OF
the no beer, no work" slogan.
William ]. Bryan recently said:
III prohibition wasn't dangerous
enough to justify action by the ma
tional organization of labor. is il
DANGEROUS enough to justify revo-
luton against the government: A
large percentage Of the people in this
country Of foreign birth have never
taken the trouble to become citizens
They have not cared to take upon
themelves the burden of American
citizenship. Would 1t not be little
impudent for them to put on INC
beer, no work" button and demand
the right to veto the laws passed b!
those who are citizens?
"A man who, having spent more
for beer for himself than he has fol-
bread for his family, puts on a but
ton and goes out declaring he will
not work for his own child il he
can't get beer. will not have much
influence upon public opinion. The
protest Of that kind of man is not
apt to move the conscience Of the
nation, and the absurdity Of his posi-
ton il so apparent that it is no,
likely there will be any buttons worn
by July first"
1t is regrettable that unthinkine
people lend themselves to the stage
settings Of the booze interests. but
only intelligence and character car
finally triumph.