WHOSE IS THE " UNSEEN HAND " ?
[TO THE EDITOR OP THE " SPECTATOR."]
am not going to enter into a controversy with you as to whether it is the Trade Unions or the Trade which is holding the Government back from passing a War-time Prohibition measure. I noted what Mr. Turner said to Mr. Lloyd George. But allow me to put on record what happened in this town last week. Remember that we are a purely steel and iron and coal district, and that wages are as good here at this moment as in any other district in our land. Well, a public meeting was organized for Thursday, April 12th, to urge food economy and to petition in favour of War-time Prohibition, and to protest against the State purchase and management of the Liquor Traffic. I enclose a copy of the resolutions. Perhaps you -would not agree with the second one. But remember our Scottish position, and take into account a strong and widespread, public opinion. A copy of these resolutions was sent to the Motherwell and District United Trades Council. If the Council approved of them, it was asked to send two representatives to the platform. What did the Council do ? This particular Trades Council represents six thousand organized workers, belonging to all classes of iron workers, also miners, engineers, and railwaymen. This Council did not only send two, but it sent five to represent it on the platform, and to vote for both resolutions. In addition, two of their number spoke, one seconding each resolution. And " firmer " speaking no one ever heard in favour of Prohibition. I thought they must have been nourished on your strong food. I would not be surprised to see the Trade Unions take action in crder to repudiate the calumny by a ballot vote. Just you piastre this singular meeting. It was largely a united meeting of the Churches and of the " M. and D." United Trades Council. All honour to this Council! And I am certain that it is not
Cairns Manse, Motherwell.
" PUBLIC MEETING. MOTHERWELL, THURSDAY, 12TH APRIL, 1917.
First Resolution.—` That this meeting, having regard to the Appeal of the Food Controller for rigid economy in the use of food, wishes to express its sincere desire loyally to carry out voluntary rationing as suggested; but deems it right to call the attention of the Prime Minister, the War Cabinet, and the Food Controller to the existence of widespread disquiet and even bitter- ness that, while limiting the supply of essential foods especially to the poor, the Government should continue to permit the enormous waste of food material involved in the Drink Trade, and this in spite of the vast number of Petitions from public bodies, and the most distinguished citizens of the kingdom. In this critical hour of the war we feel sure the nation is patriotic enough to welcome entire Prohibition, and therefore urge the Government forthwith to forbid the purchase of any foodstuffs for making alcoholic liquors, and the sale of such liquors during the war and the time of demobilization.'
Second Resolution.—` That this meeting protests against the proposal for the State purchase and management of the liquor trade, and is determined to offer any such scheme the most strenuous opposition. To launch so extremely contentious a measure during the time of a great war, and 'without any mandate from the people as well as in face of the well-known public opinion in favour of entire Prohibition in war time is an outrage; and the singling out for further enrichment of the Trade, that has not only wrought such disaster but enriched itself, is a burning injustice, while to buy up and perpetuate a Trade, which is a greater enemy than Germany, seems to us little short of high treason. We therefore protest against the whole proposal, and especially against its application to Scotland, inasmuch as the Temperance (Scotland) Act 'would come into operation in 1920. We entreat the Government to maintain National unity in face of the foe by abandoning all idea of any scheme for State purchase and management of the Liquor Trade.'
Third Resolution.—` That copies of these two Resolutions be sent to the Prime Minister, the War Cabinet, the Food Con- troller, the Chairman of the Central Liquor Control Board, and to J. Duncan Millar, Esq., K.C., Member of Parliament for the Division.'" [We are delighted to record this spirited repudiation on the part of the Motherwell workers of Mr. Turner's emphatic and unqualified declaration that the Trade Union Congress would never agree to War-time Prohibition. Clearly the matter ought to be brought to the test. The nation has a right to know what is the view of organized Labour. We most sincerely hope that we shall be shown to have been misled when we accepted Mr. Turner's statement. —ED. Spectator.]
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