Palatka daily news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1919-1994, 1922-05-04
LABOR HEAD SAYS
LIGHT WINES AND
BEER IS DEMANDED
Present Law, Gompers
Declares, Limits
Liberties
MONSTER MASS MEET
Speakers Cheered When
They Demand Repeal
Volstead Act
(By Associated Press)

New YORK, May 4.-Samuel Comp
ers, president of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor, speaking last night
to a crowd that jammed Madison
Square Garden in a meeting called
| by the New York branch of the AS
sociation Against the Urohibition
Amendment, declared that labor
"must make the fight now, and we
will never stop fighting until the
rights of the people have been re-
stored to them"
He was cheered by crowds both in
side and outside the big pavilion, for
those who could not get into the hall
heard the various speakers through
voice amplifiers. The meeting was
largely attended by members of
union labor, representatives of more
than thirty labor organizations be-
ling present. There also were many
men prominent in the city's business
and financial circles. A large part
of the audience was composed of
women.
"I and the federation | represent" ,"
Mr.. Gompers said, "are in favor Of
beer and light wines and against any
attempt to>-enforce sumptuary laws
aimed at the personal liberties of our
people.
Undermines Morality.
Il have always had faith in the
future of my country, but with pro-
hibition l am apprehensive of that
future. Temperance was the rule of
the great mass of organized labor,
but the prohibitionists and the So
called Anti-Saloon leaguers have
done more to undermine the morality
ard temperance of the working man
than any other agency l know.
~ have travelled all over the Unit
ed States before prohibition, includ-
ing it's so-called dry territories, and
today as l pass through these sec
tions have found more drunken
ness than ever before"
"There are no stronger or more
powerful supporters of the Volstead
act than the distillers and bootleg
gers" Mr.. Gompers declared to the
accompaniment of vociferous ap-
plause. "With the Volstead act and
prohibition replaced by light VINE
and beer bill the bootleggers would
go out of business"
Mr.. Gompers declared there are
"no greater violators of the Volstead
lcs and the prohibition amendment
thon those who voted for their enact
ment.
Demand That Representatives Act
James P. Holland, president of the
State Federation of Labor, declared
that if the representatives IN con-
press from New York did not listen
to the demands of the people, othefs
will be put in who would"
Mr.. Holland read a letetr from
limited States Senator Wadsworth'
of New York, which said in part: |
"Frankly,, think we made terri
blo mistake when we inserted a
sumptuary law of -this kind in the
constitution of the United States
This was a fundamental error. linen
we made another mistake when we
nassed an enforcement act so severe
in its provisions that it is proving
impossible of enforcement. 1t is en-
tirely clear that great masses OF peo-
nile are holding this law in disre-
spect; violations are going on at
wholesale, corruption is spreading,
hypocrisy is the order of the day II
extends into every element Of the
population; leads to disrespect and
indeed, contempt for law and the or
derly conduct of government.