NO-LICENSE AND SOCIALISM.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 32, 13 October 1911, Page 17

NO-LICENSE AND SOCIALISM.

Sir, —The following are only some of the reasons why. Socialists should vote against liquor: — (1) Drink, muddles the worker's brain. Ho ought, therefore, to prohibit himself and ■ his fellow-workers, for mental strength promotes solidarity ' and progress. (2) The sober worker is more independent and can hold out longer in times of strikes and lock-outs. (3) Socialists are against monopolies, and the traffic is the "prince of monopolies." (-1) Some say: "Abolish poverty, and you abolish drunkenness." If this were true, rich men would not get drunk, but they do. (o) The contention of some Socialist writers that the sober worker is «n?v playing into the hands of capital, will not'bear candid investigation. (6) Drink is a very poor employer of labor. In Victoria', Joshua, the distiller, said: "With 1000 men I could drown the world in whisky." (7) Socialism and No-license have one common'.aim —the greatest good for the greatest number. They have common friends and common foes. Many prominent Socialists (notably Prof. Mills) are No-license support(B)' The N.Z. Labor Party (Revolutionary Socialist) is impliedly, if not expressly, against tlie traffic. (9) The principle behind all true Socialism is brotherhood, and what proves a stumbling-block to so many of our brothers wo ought to remove when we can. Therefore, in order to kill pussy, opponents must destroy each one of her above nine lives.—l am, etc., C. B. JORDAN, President Buller No-license League. Westport.