The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-02-24
Have No Use for BOne-Dry
Prohibition in
Gotham
LAW WITH NO CONSENT
Same Old Cry of Infringement on
Individual Liberty and
Citizenship

NEW YORK, Feb. 24-The Cen
trail Federated Union, which decided
to put the proposed "No Beer, No
Work" strike to referendum vote
of the locals, has sent out circular
letter in which Ernest Bohm, Cores
ponding Secretary of the union, urges
organized labor to take action on the
proposed geenral strike at once. The
letter follows:
To All Affiliated Unions and Organ
lied Labor Generally, Greeting;
Bone dry prohibition has been en-
acted into law without. the consent
of the governed. Legislatures have
voted without consulting their con-
stitutents, and in at least three in-
stances where the people have by
vote declared against prohibition,
California, Indiana, and Massachu-
sets, the lawmakers have deliberate
ly cast aside public opinion and the
demands of the people and sustained
the bone dry amendment.
The enforcement of prohibition
means that hundreds of thousands of
wage-earners will be discharged from
employment and cast upon an. over
crowded labor market Statistics re-
Gently compiled show an enormous
army Of unemployed, which is in
creasing daily.
Aside from this very serious as
pect, the enactment of a law that
majority does not want, and had no
say in formulating, the infringement
upon the Individual liberty of Ameri-
can citizenship, minority debating
the mode of life and guaranteed free
dom, is a dangerous procedure and if
accepted without drastic protest, may
lead to even more damaging curtail-
ment of American personal rights.
The same powers and elements who
great wrong are busily engaged in
proposing legislation to prohibit the
use of tobacco in any form. All
these laws are primarily aimed at
the working class. The Central Fed
Grated Union of Greater New York
and Vicinity after discussing this
matter very carefully concluded that
something must be done, and done
quickly.
We yield to no one, either indivi-
dual or organization, in our conten-
ton that the organized labor move
ment, and particularly this body and
its affiliations, comprising $4,000
members, stood by the Government
patriotically and enthusiastically dur
ing the war. The fourth Liberty
Loan bond issues were heartily re-
sponded to by the unions and their
members. War Savings Stamps
were bought. The union members
embraced the call to arms, did their
bit on the firing line, and among those
returning are many who show wounds
and general hard service.
In return for these sacrifices, the
liberty and freedom formerly enjoyed
by these fighters for democracy are
crushed even without an opportunity
to voice opinions or desires as free
men.
We paid for the high cost of lfv-
ing, apparently without protest, to
the delight of the profiteers, and we
shall shorty be called upon by the
legislators, who put US out of employ
ment, to pay an income tax on ouI
earnings, to meet the heavy expenses
of the war.
We have appealed throught letters
and by committees to the lawmakers
the alleged representatives of the peo-
pie, but the appeal of the workers fell
upon deaf ears, and, while giving us
the glad hand, the knife was poised
to be buried to the hilt in our vitals
The Central Federated Union OF
Greater New York and Vicinity de-
sires to place this issue squarely be-
fore every member of your union and
request his free and unbiased declara-
ton to the proposal that s'if the bone
dry prohibition law is really enforced
on July L, 1919, to then cease work
until this law is annulled."
Your union is urged to discuss this
Immediately and officially report your
decision, if possible, within two
weeks
Fraternally yours.
ERNEST BOHM,
Corresponding Secretary
The threatened "no beer, no work
strike was first proposed by the
Building Trades Council of Newark
which later secured the adoption Of