The Commoner
MARCH, -1917
27
Brewers Levy on Merchants for
Dry Fight
From tho New York Sun, Jan.
23, 1917. ' . ' ''
The spectro of national prohibi
tion hovering closer each year over
the United States haa spurred the
big brewers to.undertako a new cam
paign of education," tho details of
which came to light yesterday. This
timo the bills will bo footed not by
tho brewers themselves but by the
firms with whom they deal. Back
of tho movement is the United
Brewers Association, which has its
headquarters at 50 Union Square.
Already tho plan has been tried on
a small scale in the west, and it
worked so admirably that it was
formally adopted by the national as
sociation, and will be put in opera
tion throughout tfhq. United States.
It is now in operation liivNew York,
also in Jersey :'Clty.A -
The brewers, are holding-, back a
small percentage' on; each bill they
pay, aflixing stamps to.. , cover the
amount withheld. The stamps are
issued in different denominations by
the National Association oL, Com
merce and Labor of Chicago, and the
money raised in this way is sent to
that association to be used for edu
cational purposes, such as engaging
speakers and issuing and distribut
ing literature showinc the menano
of nationwide prohibition that really
prohibits.
Purpose of tho System
Tho purpose' of this novel system,
according to Hugh .Ifoxsecretary
of the United States Brewe'rs' Asso
ciation, is threefold. The raising of
money and the great campaign
against prohibitipn are but second
ary purposes. The underlying prin
ciple of the whole scheme is to make
missionaries in the cause against
prohibition of IffiS flnns allied with
the brewers, the firms that sell hops
to the brewers, or malt or bottles.
Although the brewer pays a stamp
tax to the government for the priv
ilege of selling the goods he manu
factures, Mr. Fox pointed out, the
man who sells malt to the brewer,
whose entire business depends upon
the brewer, has heretofore paid no
part of this tax. It is mainly to make
such allied firms feel the force of
this tax and to enlist them in the
cause against prohibition as allies of
the brewers that the campaign is
conducted In this way.
Will Reach Other Firms
At first only the industries closely
allien with the brewing industry are
to bo taxed, but .gradually the sys
tem will be extended to Include all
of the firms with whom the brewers
deal. The tax rate is based on a
sliding scale carefully worked out.
In each case the percentage will be
very small. The rate on hops, for
instance, is fixed at five cents a bale.
Hops are selling now at about ?30
a bale. The rate for malt is 1-8 of a
cent a bushel. In some cases the
rate is as high as 1 per cent.
Here is a case in point. A supply
house sold recently to one of the
large New York breweries ?108
orth of truck parts. - When the
cneck came froji the brewery in pay
ment it was made out for $106.92
and there was enclosed in the en
velope ?1.08 worth of tne stamps.
ne brewers recognize that they
nave no power to force any firm to
accept a cut in the amount of a .bill
as rendered, but so far they .have
found that tho firms with whom they
deal were glad to co-operate.
Purpose of tho Fund
"We are aflixing to your invoice
stamps of the National Association
of Commerce and Labor aud making
deduction from your bill. Wo are
taking this action upon tho assump
tion that your own business interests
make you wholly or partly concerned
in tho, welfare of such of your cui?
tomers as would be affected by na
tional prohibition. Wo further be
lieve that you are willing to aid in
protecting pur property and indus
try from, confiscation and destruc
tion without compensation.
"The amount of this deduction is
small, and will be remitted by us to
' 4. Wo favor the use of the In
fluence of this country in ovcry 'prop
er way to end the horriblo conflict
m wurope, reminding tho world that
dono anything that savor of favor
itism to any country, we'do'riofap-,
prove of it, anil wo hope mid pray ,
, ai.i Vi! I" . umir.uii uucu uwigB snau cease, so umt
wo stand for the American principlo our beloved land may stand; before. .
.i ft .V tu n,uua u,rj u, juugropni oar. or., history. wuiiout .
play to all. To that end wo favor' a Htain upon her flag, tho flag we
a conference of all tho neutral na- lovo. - .
uons to consider peaceful ways aim "Resolved, that conies hereof ho
forwarded to tho Prcsldont and con
gress of the United States and the
press. , .
"I certify nbovo resolution was
enthusiastically and uhlrnousiy .
auoptcd by meeting of thlrty-flv
means df terminating tho war at tnu
earliest possible moment.
"5. Wo urge all American citi
zens, and believe it their duty in be
half of their country to keep out of
mo oarrcti -zones of all belligerents.
C. We believe that those citizonn hunrirnrl MHnnu limit f i.n
who object to being dragged into ! paclty. Sovon thousand moro could
iignung otnor nations' battles aro ' not gain entrance.
the above named association when f "Cr 1(Rron countries, and
adiustine our Rtamm, aomnnf wth n ur dealings with other nations,
not lacking in patriotism for Amor
lea; and wo denounco tho idea pro
mulgated by tho press that only tho
desiro for war is tho test of loyalty.
"7. Wo hold to tho principlo laid
down by Washington, father of his
country, to avoid entangling alli
ances with European countries, and
adjusting our stamps account with
it. . While this contribution aids us
indirectly, it also directly serves to
insure the continuance of your own
business either in full or in part. All
funds so received aro expended by
this association in an educational
campaign in . tho various states
against sumptuary and compulsory
prohibitory laws. We assume that
our action will have your approval;
if we are mistaken advise us at once
and we will remit to you the amount
of the deduction."
The National AfinnMnMnn nf rnm
jmerce and Labor, the solo function
of which is to sell the stamps to the
brewers and spend the money for
the campaign of education, was or
ganized three years ago. The firms
that "supply articles that the brewer
uses have three representatives on
tho finance committee, and the
United Siates Brewers Association
also has threo representatives. By
this means both sides havo a voice
in the manner in which tho money
shall bo spent.
RESOLUTIONS
Following are resolutions adopted
at a mass meeting held in Minne
apolis, Minn.:
"We, American citizens, assembled
in mass meeting at tho call of the
mayor of Minneapolis, beg to address
the President and congress of tho
United States, as follows:
"1. We appreciate the difficulties
confronting the administration in
the conduct of our foreign affairs.
We are grateful that our beloved
America is not a party to the awful
war which is devastating Europe,
and pray you will use your great in
fluence anl authority to-keep our
land at peace. -
"2. We desire to respectfully re
call the fact that in the election of
November, the citizens of this coun
try strongly favored our keeping
out of the. war in Europe, and the
administration then elected was
committed to peace. To now aban
don that policy and plunge us into
war, we hold, is to make a solemn
mockery of the great American prin
ciple of the consent of tne governed.
"3. .We denounce the attempt .of
a large portion of our press to
stampede our great nation into, war;
and, therefore, we believe, that the
time for the citizens and the gov
ernment to take counsel is now, for
as loyal men and women of America
we shall stand by our country, but
as thoughtful men and women we
realize and repeat the time of sane
counsel Q now, for, when the fate.
fni nlunW is taken our lips must
land shallTcealed.
to deal justly by all, and make fa
vorites of none, and if, during this
awful war our nation in its dealings
with either or any belligerent has
"GHA8. A. DALBY.
"Chairman of the Mass. Meeting."
HE KNEW
Willis ."The Highfliers arc going
to give up their big house this win
ter." Mrs. Willis "You must bo mis
taken. I was talking with Mrs.
Highflier only yesterday."
Willis "Well, I was talking with
tho mortgagee only this morning."
Puck.
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