New-York tribune., 1919-02-08
W alkout July l
Against Dry
Law Is Urged
Central Federated Union
Votes for Referendum
by Labor Organizations

The Central Federated Union voted
unanimously last night at meeting
at the Labor Temple in East Eighty
fourth Street to refer to the members
Of all affiliated bodies the question of
general strike to emphasize labor's
protest against national prohibition.
1t was the first move, Ernest Bohm, sec
retary of the organization, said in an
organized resistance to prohibition that
might lock every wheel in the country
when the sun rose on a beerless United
States July l.
Three hundred and fifty thousand
workmen will vote on the question to
be propounded by the Central FEEDER
ated Union, it is said. Two hundred
thousand more will have q voice in the
matter if the United Hebrew Trades
accedes to a suggestion Mr. Bohm will
make to that organization that it join
the fight for beer
Many Approve Referendum
Beer was the burden of the anti-pro
hibitlon speeches at Labor Temple.
Speaker after speaker who rose to an
prove the dferendum resolution which
Morris Brown, treasurer of the Central
Federated Union, introduced declared
that laborers and mechanics would not
perform hard manual labor without
Mr.. Brown said he introduced the reso-
luton in the form he did because he
wanted the fight for beer to be waged
by the workmen themselves
John Sullivan, delegate from the
United Brewery and Soft Drink
Workers Union, expressed confidence
that the threat of the strike, backed by
earnest resolve to see it through if
necessary, would be enough to inspire
some one in authority to find a way
out of absolute prohibition.
Mr.. Bohm said after the meeting that
organized labor throughout the coun-
try would be approached in an effort to
gain its assistance in the campaign for
beer All unions affiliated with the
American Federation of Labor, he said
were urging that the Federal amend
ment be declared unconstitutional.
AT the meeting Of the Central Fed
Grated Union last night at the Labor
Temple almost every one of the dele
gates wore mall buttons, On which
were inscribed the words:
mo Beer, No Work"
These were distributed by the Trade
Union Liberty League of New York
State, Of which John Sullivan is secre-
tary treasurer.
Labor Opposed, Says Bohm
Referring to the labor agitation against
prohibition, Secretary Bohm said:
Labor, as whole, is certainly op-
posed to prohibition. 1t is opposed to
1t, IN the first place, because it adds
so many more to the unemployed; in
the second place, because it is an in
fringemcnt of personal liberty.
Unions throughout the city arc
taking action now toward protest
I on July /. | believe there will be a
general movement which may result
in countrywide walkout."
"How do you expect to stop a con-
stitutional amendment by walkout,
Mr.. Bohm?" was asked the secretary.
We can make such protest that
the Supreme Court will declare the
constitutional amendment unconstitu-
/ .lonal,' he answered the query. II
don't think that the legal machinery
/ Of the country can be used to put
something over on the people that
they don't want, and they don't want
prohibition.
When it comes to few men flying
+ in the face Of the majority in enact
! ing laws, it's bad business"