The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1919-02-28
No Strike in Peoria

=
No Strike in Peoria
\. Peoria labor leader interviewed
by a representative oi the Issue dc
clarcd that there is no beer strike
sentiment in Peoria. He further stat
cd there was no probability OF such a
sentiment devclopine The only
way he said, that such strike
might take place here would be upon
request from unions in other cities.
i When an employer imposes conditions
upon workers which they deem intol-
cradle they may strike and ask other
unions to take similar action. 1t may
be that eastern workers will consider
Prohibition OF beer a hardship aud
would be Justified in striking and ask
ing others TO do 50"
I When it was pointed out that not
the employers but the United States
government will be responsible for
the no beer law, the Peoria labor
leader replied The law will be obey
cd
Thomas !. Donnclly, legislative rep
resentative OF the Ohio Federation OF
Labor, speaking OF the beer strike aGi-
,,tatiou, said:
j q know OF no lpoycnetu hy Ohio
lunfon organizations to follow in the
footsteps of New York and New Jer-
sey trade councils which threaten to
call a general strike ii wartime Pro
,hibition becomes effective July IL
Western Leaders are Dry
There is no probability the beer
strike (if it takes place anywhcr), will
be nation wide, because the labor
leaders OF the west arc SO unanimous
" and positively committed in favor
OF Prohibition. When Congress was
considering wartime Prohibition. no
protests against it were received from
labor unions in dry territory.
Proposed New Jersey Strike Fizzles
As nearly as can be determined at
the present time the beer strike move
ment is confined to small districts III
New York and New Jersey. In these
places it is not as general as newspa-
per reports would seem to indicate.
4 telegram from James X. Shields,
superintendent Of the New Jersey
Anti Saloon League states that the
bartenders and walters unions closely
affiliated with liquor business arc try
ing to raise a cry OF mo beer, no work"
by selling buttons on the streets. Not
lone, however, is being visibly worn
on the public streets and there is no
apparent enthusiasm in favor of the
beer strike slogan.
New York Brewery Man Active
The New York strike situation is
explained in the following paragraph
from the New York edition OF the
American Issue OF February D:
"In New \ ork and New Jersey the
liquor interests, particularly the brew
ers, have obtained control OF the Of
fees OF leadership in organized labor.
In the state OF New York John p.
Holland, the president OF the Fedora
ltion of Labor, was brewery worker,
land Mr. Emanuel koveleski, treasurer
of the State Federation of Labor, is
u d. T,tA
Mr.. Koveleski is al present on a trip
to Buffalo, Cleveland and other cities
flor the purpose OF organizing the no
beer, no work campaign, and accord
ing to a dispatch to the New York
Tribune of February H. admitted that
the no beer, no work buttons were
being issued by the State Federation
of Labor here in New York, and ii
Twas also announced in the same COM
lmunication that it was believed that
Mr.. Koveieski had been selected to
head a movement to culminate i'll a
general strike on the day Prohibition
goes into effect. From the above
lit is very clear that the thing is a
brewery scheme; that they arc carry
ing it on by manipulations OF the
brewery sympathizers among organ
lied labor; that if laboring men who
are following unthinkingly and labor
leaders who are sincerely for the vel
flare of organized labor will do little