PROHIBITION AND THE WORKER.

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

PROHIBITION AND THE WORKER.

Sir, —If the N.Z. Socialist. Party, the N.Z.F.L. and all' tho" Lalior bodies would not only advise the workers connected with them to vote against the liquor traffic, but. to join issues with the New Zealand Alliance, they could stamp out one of the crying evils of our time. I "know that the Socialists and the Federation of Labor would deal with the liquor monopoly as they will some day deal with other , monopolies. But is there not a great difference in the liquor monopoly and the various other monopolies that exist in our midst? The liquor monopoly is the greatest of all. And what does ib produce? Wealth for the brewer and fat dividends for the shareholders m the concern. That on the one handBut let every worker ask himself what does it produce on tlie other. Mothers' bitter tears, broken .hearts, and sometimes broken heads. It tills our prisons with criminals, and carries off yearly an army of men, women and children whose lives have been, spoiled by strong drink. Why, then, should we wait for an indefinite number of years to deal with this evil, as we hope to deal with all monopolies? We have it in our own power right now to crush this social evil out. Why wait? You have established "The Worker" to educate the workers of N.Z., but while we have the liquor bars with us great numbers of our fellow workmen, will remain untaught. I have not gone about Millerton with my eyes and ears closed since the establishment of our paper. And-1 tell you that the. men who read "The Worker" and talk about it are those who _do not spend their mouoy and time in the publichouse.—l am, etc., Millerton.. ' A. HOOKER.