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The Commoner
DECEMBEK, 1914
21'
situation as far as the democratic
party is concerned as to make its im
mediate future extremely dubious."
The liquor business itself is one of
the three or four greatest special in
terests whose influence is felt in
American politics. Even were a war
on this predatory interest to give the
others a temporary respite, the war
might be justified. It would be hard
to prove that any other interest or
combination of interests has a hard
er grip on the throat of the American
people than have the liquor interests.
If they must be dealt with one at a
time, there is much to be said for
taking up the case of the brewers
and distillers first.
We do not know how it is in Penn
sylvania, where Congressman Bailey
of the Johnstown Democrat lives. In
Nebraska the liquor interest has
planted itself squarely across the
path. It does not interest itself in
liquor matters only, but obtrudes its
influence wherever it thinks its inter
ests may indirectly and remotely be-
affected. If we try to deal with any
other special interest, we have always
the brewers to beat along with the
rest. Study the position of the so
called special interests' in the recent
election in Nebraska and you will find
.them standing together. Fight one,
you fight all.
Congressman Bqiley is an advocate
of the initiative and referendum and
of all means of- extending popular
control of gpvernment. The initiative
and referendum says not a word abou
liquor or the liquor question. But
whom did Nebraska have to beat to
get the initiative and referendum? It
took an all winter fight with the
brewers to get a workable act sub
mitted by the legislature. Nebraska
has been trying to get an amenable
constitution by means of a' majority
vote amendment to its amending
clause. There is not a word about
saloons or .the liquor business in this
measure. It has no direct relation
to them at all, B.ut analyze the vote
against the majority rule amendment
in the last legislature and you find it
it following the wet and dry line with
almost complete fidelity. The brewers
are preventing Nebraska from amend
ing its constitution by a safe and
rational method.
Nebraska has come to a point where
there is nothing to do but take a year
or two off for the purpose of putting
the liquor business out of politics. It
is that or stop. The liquor phalanx
is drawn across the progressive line
of march. Nebraska must either fight
the brewers or retreat. These other
monopolistic issues which Congress
man Bailey thinks will be delighted
at such a' policy are for the most
part behind and beyond the brewers
here in Nebraska. You will find the
same legislators for the most part
furnishing the votes for all in the
coming session. The brewers are the
guards and tackles. The others make
up the backfield. How would Con
gressman Bailey have us get at these
other interests without tackling the
brewers? With aeroplanes?
Mr. Bailey is thinking primarily of
national issues, but he points out that
the democrats of Pennsylvana lost a
governor, a senator and six congress
men by failure to get the liquor vote.
So it is plain that the issue can not
be confined to the states. Apparently
Mr. Bailey thinks the country can ob
tain a free hand with its other ex
ploiters by giving itself over bodily
to the brewers. He will find his mis
take. As surely as birds of a feather
flock together, he will find no such
division possible la the ranks of the
special interests. The most he can
hope for from such- a plan is to be
beautifully double crossed.
Nebraska1 State Journal.
The Housewives' league, of which
Mrs. Julian Heath is president, has
a membership of over 750,000.
., IT'S A BITTER DAY IN THE TRENCHES
II "" JZ ffSP s-"VY ( vHATS GOOD I
'
And There's Very Iiittle Warmth in a FJro like Ttila. , ,
Prom Richmond (Va.) Tlmea-Dispatcbi-
"MUSIC HATH CHARMS'
Emma Calve is singing in-France
to wounded soldiers. That is her
Red Cross duty. In the. hospitals,
where the suffering lie on hard beds,
she sings lullabies to soothe and
send them to sleep. And then, when
they have recovered and stand in
line facing the grim officer whose
sword has just been polished for
fresh encounter, she sings them war
songs, to stir their patriotism and
battle-lust as they go back to the
trenches.
What a pity this woman with the
marvelous gift can not go out there
where the bleeding and dying strug
gle to raise their guns for one more
shot, and with her voice still the
machinery of war and charm the gods
of battle Into slumber as she does
the wounded in the hospitals! If
she could only put them to sleep and
keep them asleep, and never sing a
war song to arouse them, all the
Nobel prizes in history could not buy
enough laurels t6 properly smother
her. Richmond (Va.) Times-DJs-
patch.
AN IMPORTANT DECISION
In Massachusetts some months ago
an accident occurred In one of the
industrial concerns and the blame
was justly laid upon a drunken em
ployee. Suit for damages was
brought by the wife of one of the
workmen injured, and the case was
carried through the lower courts to
the supreme court where lower de
cisions were sustained giving the
plaintiff judgment for $20,000 against
the owners of the plant where the
accident occurred. And the follow
ing significant language was used in
the supreme court decision:
"A drunken employee is a human
parallel to the fragment of physical
equipment which may he classed as
defective material, and cause injury
to "workmen. If one' workman is in
jured through a drunken workman,
the employee's responsibility does
not lessen because of the intoxica
tion. The employer whose defective
equipment is th j cause of the injury
is responsible. The employer whose
drunken workman causes injury to
fellow workmen Is also responsible."
Thus a precedent is established
which will be assistance in further
ing the cause of prohibition. Every
employer of workmen and the work
men themselves, will learn that there
is no wisdom in permitting the sale
of drugs whether the "drug" Ib
booze or morphine that can make
a man Incapable of being trust
worthy. Nor will the decision affect only
industrial concerns. The time is not
far distant when any employer who
keeps in his service an employee who
is addicted to drink; or any liquor
using professional man who is de
pended upon for service must expect
to be discountenanced and to load
out In the business world. The pub
lie wants reliability above every
thing. Exchange.
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