The New York herald., 1921-07-26
NEVER BELIEVED II
Messrs. Davidson and Stitch
Cannot See Britain
Going Dry.
SEE LADY ASTOR BEATEN
Peaceful Ireland in so Days,
Is Their View-TO Make
Two Months Tour.

British labor, keen to know whether
prohibition in America is farce or a
fact. sends to this country two Labor
M. P.s, John e. Davidson. who repre-
sents the Smethwick district Of Bir-
mingham and who defeated Christabel
Pankhurst. daughter of the militantly
famous Emmeline, at the last election.
and Charles II. Stitch, member Tor
Kings wynford, and at 33 years the
youngest of the Labor NJ. P.'s.
They arrived yesterday on the Baltic
and after settling themselves in a lofty
suite in the Bltmore talked about
many things that have got the world
by the ears. Prohibition, though, is
first in their interest.
1--WE came over here for two months
survey" said Mr. Davidson. an iron
noulder not very long ago and now an
influential chief in the third great po-
litical party of Great Briton. over
there we heard all sorts Of things about
the heaven on earth that prohibition had
brought to the States. but somehow we
doubted. ! make bold to say we doubt
ed Tell me- now, how does 1t work?
Mr.. Davidson was initiated into many
mysteries well understood by Americans
in these days.
"Oh. sse." he said. Jolly for the
rich but pretty rough on the poor.
what?
We'll" he resumed, eve in England
of the ranks Of labor have no faith In
such queer reforms. At our Brighton
conference not long ago labor voted
5000 900 to 247,000 against prohibition
in any form, and Of the 247.000 many
were not at all in favor Of absolute pro-
hibition.''
STILL" one reminded Mr.. Davidson,
"Pussyfoot johnson and others have said
that Great Britain win be as dry as the
Cobb Desert within ten years"
Up 70 that moment Mr.. Stitch. recum-
bent from the overhanging nausea OF
NAL de mer, had been voiceless. This,
however, was too much for him.
"Rally rot!" interjected Mr.. Stitch.
..Ouite right" agreed his colleague.
ENGLAND will not so dry In ITO years.
The talk swung to industrial condi-
tions, the hint OF revolution. unrest, the
Irish question. Lady Astor, international
sport--what not.
'Ihere is unrest III our Iduu, sdiu 1Ais
Davidson THE trouble Is that in the
ranks OF the Labor party are group.
numerically unimportant but very noisy,
very hotheaded, who want to upset the
world In five minutes. 1t can't be done.
That is how we fellows who try to lead
nowadays spend our time going about
and telling these hotspurs and the well
meaning folk that gather around them
OH the street corners that IT can't be
DONE"
Whats your notion Of the outcome
of the Irish negotiations:
II have every reason to believe" Mr..
Davidson said that within three
months there will be peace between
England and Ireland"
Mr. Davidson alluded to Lady Astor
in a random moment.
lieve," he said. "A very interesting
woman but bit fluffy IL one may say
SO. l mean she has no real influence
whatever with labor In England, not
the least. There are any number Of
women who have more influence than
Lady Astor. l predict she will be
soundly defeated at the next election"
Their purpose being to survey the
prohibition question from every angle,
the two M.P.'s will go into both agricul-
tural and industrial sections. They will
have the material for a very definite
report for British labor when they board
their steamship for their homeward
tourney two months hence