A LABOUR LEADER ON DRINK.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 113, 4 May 1908, Page 3

A LABOUR LEADER ON DRINK.

(To the lulitor.) Sir.--We have lately had among u-? a l.*il>our leader in tlie person of Mr. Tom .Mann. He n* a very interesting leelure on '1 lunula > evening, to svhicii mil huh h ~xceplioii can l>e .taken. However. In- saill nothing about drink as an element ill sooia 1 advanre. I have ju-t received an American which will supply the deficiency, if you will Kindly, allow we space. J merely winli to (jiiole a lew extracts from a letter written the Daily - , non, win), after M years' experieme t >i | Lalmur Inioiis U now tin- rliief executive ollit or of the International Orion, and treasurer of the Ainevu-;m l-'edera-tion of labour. Mr. Uunon then evi* I

i- ilcntly kntnvs what lie writi's about, y>l .1 he has been severely criticised for tin part hi! has taken in connection with the local option movement, though all tiii- criticism lias not been adveivc. ile . says that the t'niuii- have not made any pronouncement against lui-.il option, m- I'm- it: therefore each niemlier has the right to follow his own conscience • and judgment on this matter, "lint.'' he says, "as for myself, I propose to take my position agaiu-t tin- saloon, anil on the side of home, the family, morality. I and human uplift. ... I lielieve. without any riwrviitioii wli.itevev, ileal the saloon is an injury to a eoiniunnily. and thai it is right to eliminate it, and niv cirorts will he extended to the full e-t extent tli.it 1 am capahle oi to lo'ing ahout that, to me, ilwiialile end.' As a Uibonr man he says furlhor: "I am especially agaiu-f the'saloon liccaiw of my connection with I he Labour movement. ... I have seen upon every haiul, in everv citv in which I have lived, and which I have visited, the squandering of money in the saloons for strong driiiK Unit iwais needed for the uplift of the individual worker, and often for I lie liitti'r mainlenance of |,is family." 1 should like 1.0 i|iiole more fully.'hut fear it would he trespassing too much on your -pace, (hough I lie subject is very important. However. Mr. I.ennon nr»uc> all sides of lie ipieslioil. pailirulailv for the children's sake: he sacs I here n. I he no fear linaiß-ially: thai, the frallie cannot be defended with any show of reason or common sen-e; (hat there is no neutrality in this campaign, for every one is. and must lie. either for or iigniii-l the i-aloon; and he winds up with this passage of glowing optimism: ''lt (the local option muvrment) may ho opposed, as other reforms have been opposed, and will be: hut not only arc the people in the t'nili'd States awakening on this subject, but 1 find in Croat Britain, in Orinanv. in Scandinavia, in France the agitation is almost as strong as In this country, and this Ihki'iips- is going to be wiped out. and tin I while some of arc still living." Thanking yo'i in anticipation.— I am. ir.. <!K(l. 11. M.M"Nl)i:i:.