Page 7 Advertisements Column 1

Taranaki Daily News, 7 December 1922, Page 7

He Asked For It—And He GOT It A. Letter from Mr. Sam Gompers, Washington, U.S.A. To Captain W. H. Hawkins, New Plymouth, N.Z. Captain W. H. Hawkins, a leading Prohibitionist organiser and lecturer, wrote to Sam Gompers for information regarding the operation of Prohibition as affecting American workers. Sam Gompers is President of the American Federation of Labour, representing 4,500,000 workers. Mr. Gompers’ reply to Captain Hawkins is printed below. Why didn’t Captain Hawkins tell the public of New Zealand what this official of America’s great Labour organisation wrote to him? Why didn’t he? Because it did not suit his purpose! That is how the truth about Prohibition is suppressed by the officials of the Prohibition Party. Do not let the workers of New Zealand fool themselves into the belief that they will be benefited by such sumptuary legislation. If one right can be taken away, two can be, and if two, any number stolen from the people. ” SEE LETTER BELOW jl WT y Immediately there was a revulsion of feeling among the citizens of the country. This has grown JVT FFIF/I AF B FTiFF A TITI AF Ti F S A FFI lIF mOPe intanse as time bas P assed - As an evidence of this feeling, permit me to mention an incident that 1 11/IV 1/1 Arf/iUI/l/ll occurred at the Democratic Convention held in San Francisco in June to nominate a candidate for the presidency and also vice-presidency. A resolution was introduced by no less a person than William executive council. Jennings Bryan providing for an endorsement of prohibition by the convention. This resolution rePR ESID ENT, SAMUEL GOMPERS. SECRETARY, FRANK MORRISON. ... x ceived less than 100 votes out of more than 1092 votes possible. TREASURER, DANIEL J. TOBIE. 222 R. MICHIGAN street, indianopolis, IND. j agree with you entirely regarding the evils which have resulted from over indulgence in drinking. WflsAin ton H C * know of no other factor which has contributed more toward temperance than the bona fide trade union ? * movement; and the influence it exerts was gradually eliminating the evils of intemperance and establishing September 1,1920. temperance in drinking as well as in all other things beneficial to humanity. Captain W. H. Hawkins, The Bungalow, ' Enclosed you will find a letter sent by me to the President of the United States, in which I charged New Plymouth, that the greatest harm against liberty ever perpetrated was the prohibition amendment to the constitution of New Zealand. the United States. Dear Sir and Brother: You also say: Your letter of July 11 received. You state: “ < -' an y° u therefore help me with your guidance and counsel. Of course you are not conversant “Personally lam of the opinion that if our party gripped the question (liquor) with both hands witb 0U1 ’ cor,ditlons here bHt y° u do know tbat we bave an ls!and dominion far removed from and pronounced definitely for total National Prohibition we could and would sweep the polls at the anywhere, self-contained and self-reliant. Therefore it seems to me that total National Prohibinext general election. lam convinced that the abolition of alcoholic liquor would prove of tion oa!1 be * 1 ’ iBd bOM undBr ideal conditions.” immense benefit to our class in this Dominion.” If you accept my guidance and counsel you will not encourage legislation similar to that in the Labour since the beginning of time has sought freedom, to secure and maintain the right of life United States on the question of prohibition. The Labour movement is seeking at all times the economic liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Every agitation that has for its purpose the taking away of a right advancement of humanity. It fights with all its power any attempt to minimise or take away a right from the people should be fought—not supported—by Labour. O f any kind. Every article in the Constitution of the United States and everv amendment excent one h«c Haan . . ...... P as been to The g veat war was fought to maintain the political freedom of the nations of the world, to destroy guarantee the people of our country a right. The one exception, the Eighteenth Amendment, takes awav a . u ... . ~ ~, ’ y a autocracy and its repressive laws. Men were killed and maimed, families were broken up, blood flowed right, and in taking away that right it has made of our people a nation of rebels. ... . . ~ , . „ like the waters in the streams to maintain democracy. The first act of the United States to bring home Although the eighteenth amendment is part of the Constitution of the United States it has not to us the fact that autocracy still lives was the adoption of the Eighteenth Amendment, prevented the drinking of intoxicating liquor. It has not only encouraged the illicit sale of whisky to the people, but it has been the means of turning homes of former law-abiding citizens into illicit breweries and P. 0 ... not let the wwke^.J?l2?^,. Zoaland mto the belief that they will be benefited distilleries. “Blind Pigs” where liquor is sold surreptitiously and “bootlegging” where individuals carry by sucb sumptuary legislation. If one right can be taken away two can be, and if two, any number can around intoxicating liquors to sell to people they can trust are common practices in the United States be stolen from the people. Fight with all your might for temperance in all things, but fight as hard and to-day. Not only do they do this almost openly in some quarters but they are upheld by public opinion. ..L v, . ... just as intensively to maintain every right to which you are entitled. Even representatives of the Department of the Government that enforces the Act are continually charged with selling liquor they have confiscated under the law. Smuggling whisky from other countries is looked Whatever I have written in this letter has been publicly stated by me in this country. If it upon with as much favour as would the furnishing of food to starving people. The term “smuggler” does can be of any service to the workers in New Zealand they are at perfect liberty to use it as they see fit. not now have the oppobrium resting on it that it had in previous days. Nearly every charge made by the American Federation of Labour as to the dangers of the Eighth® sale of beer and light wines is also placed under the ban in this country. No beverage can ~~~ contain more than one half of one per cent, of alcohol. While whisky, beer and light wines are not manu- t^ e ±. t 2L2™ ! ? drneilt t 0 the Constitution of the United States is being substantiated almost daily. Therefore factored for sale, half the homes in the United States, it is believed, have their distilleries, and beer and m y advice to you is not to encourage prohibition. wine-making,plants. With besj . w{slleSi j Mlna i ni The eighteenth amendment to the Constitution of the United States was adopted by less than 5000 Fraternally yours people. It was not the will of the people. Congress, with 531 members, passed a resolution declaring for prohibition, and the legislatures of thirty-six States ratified it, which made it a part of their constitution. FSYmtIOYQ In the thirty-six States there are less than 4500 members, making the total number who took away a right OV stJJC ff from the people amount to less than 5000. President, American Federation of Labour. Vote Continuance Hememfeer Prohibition is not a Trial but“ Here for Keeps ” # flmw.