New-York tribune., 1919-06-12
Labor WithhOIds
Unanimous Support
OF '::Wet" Cause
Continued from page 1

Continued from page 1
cure legally glass Of beer after
their days labor; and
Whereas, All this restrictive and
sumptuary legislation has the effect
OF destroying part Of the American
labor movement and is seriously Grip
ping many international ovganfza-
tions affiliated with the American
Federation of Labor; therefore be it,
Resolved, That the American Fed-
Grafton of Labor in convention as
sembled in Atlantic City expressss
its disapproval of wartime prohibi-
tion and that strong protest from
the delegates to this convention be
forwarded to the government at
Washington, setting forth in a most
emphatic manner tn opinion of the
delegates to this convention that the
present mild beers of 2A per cent
alcohol by weight should be exempt
ed frcgn the provisions OF the Eigh-
teenth Amendment to the Constitu-
tion and also from the pro:ision Of
the war prohibition measure; and be
it further
Resolved. That the executive
council of the American Federation
of Labor be an is hereby instructed
to convey these expressions through
committee to the President of the
United States and Congress, and to
do everything in it's power 20 pre-
serve to the people Of the United
States their freedom, liberty and
democracy"
Unanimously Recommended
"This resolution" concluded Mr..
Frey, "is signed by upward of 100
delegates to this convention. The
committee is unanimous in recommend
ing it's adoption"
James A. Duncan, of Seattle, radi-
cal, rose and said that although there
were many things on which Seattle
and Mr.. Gompers agreed, they did not
agree on prohibition. To the workers
from his section, he said, it appeared
ridiculous that the convention should
consider daylight saving and beer mat
ters of primary Importance. To their
way of thinking the convention might
with profit take up another matter,
such as the six-hour day.
$50 far as booze is concerned" said
he, eve believe that when there s
still so much hysteria in the air it is
best to keep the minds of the people
sober. Four years ago Seattle might
have approved the resolution. Now,
when we see the workers better fed,
better clothed, better housed, we no
longer fall for the bribe of a glass Of
beer or a trip to Washington. When
we go to Washington we will 60 at
the expense of the workers and not
at the expense of the brewers. Any
brewers does not voice our sentiments"
Would Kill Espionage Act
"TLey tell us that it is of Importance
to labor that the war prohibition act
be repealed. I tell you it is of vital
Importance that other measures,
notably the espionage act be taken
from the statue books. They tell US
that most laws are restrictive of lib
erty.
"Ycu say to us that it is important
that the worker should have his beer
/ say to you that it is of infinitely
greater Importance to stand by prohibi-
tion in the interest of generations yet
unborn. We want no more imbeciles
born into this world because their
parents were hard drinkers. In the
name of labor we're for prohibition
first, last and all of the time"
Jacob Birch, a thirty-year-o news
boy, of Seattle, followed Duncan. He
SAID prohibition had given the North.
weS: "a progressive labor movement"
Mr.. Frey explained the haste Of the
resolutions committee in reporting ou,
the resolution, on the ground that haste
was necessary if the resolution were
to get before Congress in time.
ut is not" said he, "a question o.
booze. 1t is a question as to whether
or not we approve of the brewing o.
2.75 per cent beer. If the booze drink
ers of Seattle can drink enough of tha
to become intoxicated there's, is, indie ed
a large capacity for liquids.
"The delegate from Seattle says tn
labor movement in Seattle was neve
30 sane as since Seattle went dry
Some Of us differ as to the sanity 0
some recent occurrences in Seattle"
AS one whose nearest and deares
has served in France" began Mr.. Len
non, III will never vote on any questio,
in conjunction with the -Ameri
can alliance Of unsavory record in thi
war"
His experience, he said, had bee,
that IN dry towns the workers wer
better off and more satisfied than i,
towns were liquor was to be had. n
reminded the convention that in tn
East the federation had kept it's hand
OFF the liquor question, and he pro
tested that to take sides would be
backward step.
c. c. Shea, of New York, represent
ing the theatrical mechanics. agree
with Mr.. Lennon that roll call shout
be had so that it should become know
where everybody stood. He was. how
ever, IN favor of the resolution.
Mr.. Gompers followed Mr.. Shea. n
said he felt compelled to say he ha
\ written magazine article on prohibj
ton as citizen and not as prcsiden
OF the federation. Such law, he sale
made him apprehensive of the libe rite
OF the American people.
lie did not, he said, know whethe
there was any affinity between pro
hibition and Bolshevism, but he A,
serted there had been more cases O