The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-04-19
DOMAIN OF TEMPERANCE
TOTAL PROHIBITION.

pics Idlu uoWll ny IliC IhCf. -. CoISJS
of Maynooth, as to this very question
of total prohibition.
Writing in the Irish Ecclesiastical
Record" he says:
1t is the function Of the State to
promote the common goOd,-the eco
nomic and social we'll being Of the
community. If, in order TO accom-.
plish this, the State finds it necessary
to deprive the individual citizens Of
all access to the enjoyment Of GER
tain temporal or material goods or
conveniences which are in themselves
lawful but not Indispensable, the State
has the moral power to do SO. That
is an ethical principle or thesis which
will scarcely be disputed; and it
derlies the total prohibition policy.
Moral Rights of the State.
But perhaps it will be said that to-
tai prohibition is not a necessary
means of promoting the social well
fare of n community. Here, then,
is another principle which l would
venture to formulate: Even if such a
measure be not the only possible
means of promoting the common
good-of r%emedying grave and wide
spread economic evils and social mis-
observation-disclosures, if it is believed
by the majority of the community to
be the most effective means, and as
such is demanded by them, then, too,
the State has the moral right to en-
force the measure, and to impose on
the individual citizens the resulting
inconvenience Of SO far restricting
personal liberty.
The admission of both these prin-
ciples does not, OF course, imply or
cOncede that our prohibition law is
either prudent or expedient or work
able; but it does do away with sew
eral arguments that are rather heated
than solid.
Organized Labor.
1t is a hopeful sign CT the future
that the laboring men are becoming
more and more disguised with alcO-
hol. They are realizing no doubt that
the capitalists were "ne'er so much
their enemy as that same alcohol
which has made them lean"-finan-
cially, socially, spiritually and phys
ically. Organized labor on all sides is
recording itself as opposed to greater
freedom for the liquor traffic. The
Havre Union of Workmen's. Syndi-
Gates expresses itself as follows:
who wished to bleed France. If you
allow alcohol to continue it's ravages
you are his accomplice. Enough
J blood! Enough tears! Enough crime!
D We demand the suppression of alco-
hol."
Who knows best and is the better
to follow, the humorous professor or
the hard-headed working man?
One Of the newspapers made a very
apt remark the other day, when in
commenting IN the state Of affairs in
L Russia, it said that the Soldiers and
: Workingmen's Constitution was COM
l posed of soldiers who won't fight and
of Workingmen who won't work.
L There are many indeed Of the latter
in every country who do the debating
but who produce nothing of value. A
> great responsibility rests with the
: leaders of organized labOr-Which is
I a reason why they ought to be men
: Of education who should lOathe fana-
ticism. Labor has suffered in the past
l because it's leaders have been drag
. ging the Workingmen in q circular
l movement rather than leading them
in a forward one; and if labor did
, gain a little ground the past four
years, it was because of the war rath-
: err than the worth Of the leaders.
r. abolish"
Read over the points in the ordl-
nary labor platform, and you can al
most see the trademark "Made in
L Russia" stamped all over it. That
fearful word abolish" SO character,
istic of destruction rather than con
= struction, is found in every line
Abolish the capitalist, abolish the sen
> ate, abolish the governor general, the
king, probably the sun, moon and
stars as well-all this indicates de-
sire for destruction. Man is a very
curious creature, he is made it seems
to initiate, which may be a reason
, why Darwin thought that he descend
ed from the monkey. Imitation of la
Dor platforms is an ordinary pastime
p nowadays. Of course it would make
G for unity to have a common platform
a on which organized labor might stand
o but it is helpful to remember thai
q some points must be modified, aDt
Il even eliminated to meet local condi
, tons. We have in mind a certain ere
# form" demanded in some countries TO
stronger beer. It is a we'll recognized
, fact that in some parts of Europe
# even in parts of America, water is Cit
fcult to obtain; and even when oh
Q tainable is not fit to drink. Peopl'
as a result must resort to beer aHt
h light wines. An agitation is o lie
ing carried on to have the bee
If strengthened. The workingmen here
Il in Nova Scotia have no need to worr.
about the adoption of such a measure
in this part of the world, becaust
n there is no need for it!
The Men Themselves Don't Want Il
l. The men themselves don't want II
and a plebiscite on the question woul'
49, @L@& - ,yanyy lnyon ~ h0T nF IN