The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-05-07

uduQg lTOm ucl6Bdt6S dS lar apart III
Montana, Indiana and New York,
greeted the effort to place the social
list convention on record on the ques-
ton of prohibition.
Even Congressman Victor L. Berger
lost his usual calm, and all sense Of
humor deserted him, as he yelled at
Delegate Emma Henry, from Indiana,
How many party members have you
got to split in Indiana"
Mrs. Henry was taken aback for a
moment but responded, We've got
about one hundred members"
Then delegate William H. Henry,
her husband, came to her rescue from
another part of the hall, declaring,
Eyes, Victor Berger, and you won't
have them If you place the party on
record on this question"
THE longest, most intense and heat
L ed debate of the convention took
place on this question. The original
proposition presented to the conven-
ton by the resolutions committee was
as follows:
"In the failure Of prohibition en-
forcement in the United States the
socialist party sees the result of blind,
laundering legislative methods so
characteristic of republican and demo-
cratic politicians. Such methods usual
ly defeat their purpose. The once
boosted sacredness of the home is
violated by dry raiders, police courts
are filled with bootleggers and their
victims, federal court dockets damned
with liquor trials. Yet everywhere the
law is violated. In contrast with this
dark picture, we call attention to the
application Of socialist methods in
Sweden, where, under a socialist
prime minister, the government manu-
facturers and retails the alcoholic
beverages. The results are: No drunk
ness, no law violations, no wholesale
arrests, no criminal trials, no crowded
jails. On the other hand, moderate use
Of pure unadulterated liquors, hand
some revenue for the government, and
consequent relief of taxpayers and
public. AS the one sane solution of the
problem, the socialist party of the
United States advocates government
manufacture and sale of alcoholic
beverages"
yITHEN truce had been declared in
w the midst of bitter battle, permit
ting the resolutions committee to
retire and redraft the declaration, the
proposition finally submitted and
adopted by a vote of is to eight, de-
clared that because of the failure of
prohibition in the United States, the
socialist party advocates that each
state legislature be empowered to de-
eide on laws for the sale of light
wines and beer, and that strong alco-
holic liquors be manufactured by the
government and sold by the govern
ment.
This was a concession to the bour-
bon principle of states rights. 1t
practically leaves the socialists free
to take any position they desire in
the various states. 1t is the usual
straddle that has made and kept the
national socialist party a federation of
state socialist parties and not CEN
tralized national organization.
VICTOR BERGER was among those
who opened the discussion in
favor of the resolutions committee re-
port. He gave the convention dele
gates recipe for the making of wine
that he claimed was perfectly legal.
This recipe became the days feature
of the convention proceedings for the
local capitalist press. Berger offered
it in deep seriousness declaring: I'VE
needn't go into the elections at all
unless we adopt this resolution offered
by our committee"
1t may be cited here that the social
list party's constitution calls for a con-
vention report from It's representative
in congress. Victor Berger made no
such report at any time during the
proceedings. Shortly before coming to
Pittsburgh, however, from Washing
ton, he had his picture taken with So
other members of the house Of rep
resentatiyes, led by the extreme wet"
Representative Hill, Of Maryland, on
the capitol steps at Washington. This
was the solid united front for light
wines and beer as opposed to the
Bone Dry Club" organized also in the
house of Representatives Its men,
bers also had their pictures taken.
Bergers wine recipe may therefore
be considered his convention report
on socialist congressional activities.
nELEGATE o. A. KENNEDY, of the
- Rocky Mountain states district,
urged that everything be stricken out
Of the resolution except the first and
last sentences.
He denounced the resolution as
red herring to detract attention from
more important matters. He declared
It was not good socialists tactics to
bring up the liquor question.