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Felling that the Government already maintains sufficient power to control the type and kind of advertising which may be used by the industry, and feeling that the industry itself will take the necessary steps to affect the proper kind and type of advertising, we, the employees of the brewing industry of Maryland, Virginia, and District of Columbia, earnestly request that this committee vote "No" against this proposed legislation.

STATEMENT OF RAYMOND KOTH, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, OHIO AND KENTUCKY STATE COUNCIL OF BREWERY, SYRUP, AND SOFT DRINK WORKERS

Mr. Chairman and members of this committee, my name is Raymond Koth, 5323 Delhi Road, Cincinnati 38, Ohio. I have been authorized by this organization to appear here on behalf of its 6,000 members in opposition to H. R. 4627 who are vitally concerned with the outcome of this restricted and prohibitory legislation.

We believe that this is nothing more than a step toward prohibition. This was proven, when in the past years with the same type of legislation the professional dry leaders and their groups traveled far and wide to appear before the committee to strenuously urge its passage.

The men and women employed in the alcoholic beverage industry and its associated industries today are making a living in a business which has been relegalized by the 21st amendment of the Constitution of the United States after an ill-fated period called prohibition, which existed for many years and which brought about bootlegging (which incidentally is still a big business), gangsterism, crime, and corruption during those years of its existence.

Today certain people in these United States are again trying to force upon the vast majority legislation which would prohibit the advertising of a perfectly legitimate product which is being legally sold in the United States. These people seem to lose sight of the fact that this would create unemployment and hardship upon thousands of working men and women and their dependents.

We feel that the economic structure of our great country would be hampered by the passage of any such legislation. We are convinced that sound advertising has done as much as any one thing to promote the American free-enterprise system of which we have heard so much lately and, incidentally, advertising is one of our largest industries.

The passage of the 21st amendment, which repealed the Volstead Act, was a mandate of the majority of the people. Contrary to the wishes of a small minority, who are again attempting through numerous approaches to bring about prohibition, we shall protest any and all legislation which is designed to bring back prohibition.

Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, on behalf of the 6,000 members, whom I have the honor and privilege to represent, we ask that this committee not act favorably on H. R. 4627.

STATEMENT OF HUBERT CASSIDY, PRESIDENT AND EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF THE MICHIGAN STATE COUNCIL OF BREWERY, SOFT DRINK, AND DISTILLERY WORKERS

Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, we hold no brief for advertising methods which are offensive or misleading. But we believe that on the whole the licensed-beverage industry has conformed to standards of decency and good taste in advertising its products—indeed we believe that the licensedbeverage industry has set higher advertising standards for itself than have other industries whose ads commonly appear in our newspapers and magazines and which are heard and seen through radio and television. Yet the proponents of this bill would penalize the entire industry on the basis of their claim that a few may have offended. Would it make sense to prohibit all motion pictures and books interstate commerce because some pictures and books may have had a bad influence on young people or even on adults. This is neither logical nor fair. One does not amputate a leg to remove a bunion.

The advertising of licensed beverages is rigidly regulated by agencies of the Federal Government, and I am sure that they have broad enough powers to protect the public from any offensive or misleading advertising. Further, most of the States have regulated the advertising of licensed beverages and these regulations are also rigidly enforced.

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If this legislation that the proponents are seeking was made into law to prohibit the advertising of the lawful products of this particular industry, then it could also be imposed on other lawful businesses upon which public opinion is divided as to the merit of their products.

How far can we go in regulating such things without sacrificing our basic freedoms of speech and press and that freedom of the individual which we cherish? It has never been the American way to cope with such a problem by prohibitory legislation. The parents, the schools, and the churches of this Nation have built the character of our youth, and will continue to give them the understanding and the sense of values with which to build a better and happier life. In a totalitarian state the government takes over the task of character building--in our democracy, built on the principle of the freedom and sanctity of the individual, we leave this job to the individual, to the family, to the schools and churches. The word "verboten" is one that Americans rebel against.

This bill, H. R. 4627, must be recognized for what it is-a prohibition bill, pure and simple. We live in an age where the markets of industry are national and international in scope. Our railroads and motor-carrier systems, the airplane, telephone, radio, and television have brought the buying public to the back door of our manufacturers and sellers of goods. The American competitive system of free enterprise could not exist if industry were restricted to local markets. By the same token our competitive system of free enterprise could not operate in a national market without advertising. National advertisinginterstate advertising-is the life's blood of our American system. Imagine what would happen to our economy if the scope of this bill were extended to embrace all industrial products. Our economic system as we know it would wither and die.

This is what the sponsors of this legislation hope will happen to the licensedbeverage industry through the enactment of H. R. 4627. They hope to make it economically impracticable for the industry to operate.

I do not want to see the terrible blight of prohibition return to this country. The harm that was done to our Nation's youth and to our moral standards by that ill-fated attempt to legislate a traditional American practice out of existence can never be repaired. The corruption of our law-enforcement agencies, the popularity of lawbreaking among our people, the demoralization of our youth-these left their mark upon a whole generation of Americans. The same experience has since been reenacted in every State which has been foolish enough to try to imply what is called but never is prohibition. The only elements in our society which benefit by so-called prohibition are the bootlegging, racketeering elements, and their allies.

I speak for the Michigan State Council of Brewery, Soft Drink, and Distillery Workers, as decent American citizens who are deeply concerned about the future of their country and of their children. I view with the greatest concern any attempt to restore national prohibition, and it is our contention that this bill, H. R. 4627, is meant to be an important step in that direction (with a back-door approach). It is unjust, illogical, oppressive, discriminatory class legislation, violative of our basic freedoms of speech and press and contrary to the principles of our democratic system of free enterprise and individual freedom and we urge this committee to vote "No" against H. R. 4627.

STATEMENT OF ROLAND J. HIDDE, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, WISCONSIN STATE

COUNCIL OF BREWERY AND SOFT DRINK WORKERS

Gentlemen, on behalf of the membership of the Wisconsin State Council of Brewery and Soft Drink Workers, of which organization I am executive secretary, I wish to offer objections to the passage or enactment of any legislation of a discriminatory type that would have an adverse effect on our industry and the Nation as a whole.

We, as workers in the beverage industry, feel that if this bill were enacted into law it would create chaos in a legitimate industry, causing disruption of our workers' economic security in that many of us would lose our jobs with resulting hardship for our families. Workers in allied industries would also be vitally affected by the enactment of such an unnecessary law.

As residents in the State of Wisconsin, where over 12 percent of the Nation's beer is produced, our members would be particularly hard hit because

of the concentration of large and small breweries operating here whose economic lifeblood is advertising, whether local or national newspaper, magazine, radio, or television. Our Wisconsin beverage industry as it is today, employing thousands of people, paying millions of dollars a year into local, State, and Federal treasuries, could not exist without interstate advertising.

It is our firm belief that the self-regulatory program of the alcoholic beverage industry in regard to advertising their products has done more to set higher advertising standards for itself than all the laws of the statute books.

The proponents of this bill say that alcoholic beverage advertising comes to the attention of young people and creates a desire for these products. Certainly there are many other products which are advertised that are more harmful to the youth of our Nation. However, we do not believe that these certain abuses can be eliminated by merely passing a law against the advertising of the product. It is more likely that the objections to the abuses is in the manner in which the product is advertised rather than in advertising itself. The alcoholic-beverage industry has and is doing a splendid job of controlling and eliminating, to a high degree, the so-called abuses, or objectionable features of advertising its products which the passage of the Siler bill or any other legislation cannot improve upon.

There are many other arguments we could present, including reams of statistics, to support our opposition to this bill. However, in the interest of brevity and to avoid repetition, we will leave those to our colleagues.

Therefore, gentlemen, we the workers employed by the alcohol beverage and allied industries in the State of Wisconsin, whose welfare would be drastically affected by the passage of this discriminatory legislation hope you will give serious consideration to our views as expressed and report unfavorably on this bill.

STATEMENT OF LUDWIG BOCH, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, PENNSYLVANIA BREWERY, SOFT DRINK, AND DISTILLERY WORKERS COUNCIL, CIO-AFL

Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, on behalf of the members of the Pennsylvania Brewery, Soft Drink, and Distillery Workers Council, I wish to offer objection to the passage or enactment of any legislation that would discriminate against a particular industry and create a situation that would have an adverse effect on the national economy.

H. R. 4627, known as the Siler bill, would, in effect, bar all means of advertising and soliciting of orders by the licensed beverage industry, and would, in fact, destroy the industry by indirect strangulation.

If this type of legislation were not discriminatory, and was intended to apply to all industry, it would mean that farmers could not solicit orders for their produce outside their State boundaries, automobiles could not be nationally advertised, radios, clothing, steel, or any other product of industry, could not be distributed nationally, and as a result our national business structure, of which interstate advertising is so integral a part, would collapse, leaving only chaos. However, this bill, as applying only to the licensed beverage industry, would not only paralyze an industry that is very important to our national economy, but destroy a source of governmental revenue that could not be replaced. It would destroy, without reason, an industry whose patriotism in time of crisis is unquestioned; an industry that has always cooperated wholeheartedly in programs affecting the national welfare. This bill, if passed, would mortally wound an industry that has always maintained the highest standards of business ethics in its relations with the public it serves and the people it employs. It pays the highest wages, has the best working conditions, the most amicable relations with those it employs.

This bill has the same intent as other bills that have come before Senate and House committees, to strike a crippling blow at the licensed beverage industry by limiting and directing the type of advertising that may be used by them, and eventually bring back national prohibition.

The proponents build their argument mainly on juvenile delinquency, yet statistics show and prove that only about 3 percent of our youths come under the category of juvenile delinquence. To correct those 3 percent, it needs education not legislation.

An article in the February 1956 issue of Reader's Digest, page 71, 400,000 Boys Are Members of the Club, (by William L. White) shows and tells us what our boys and girls need; not restrictive or prohibitive laws; but something to do,

something that will occupy their mind, and above all they need trust, love, and understanding. Give it to them at home or at church organizations, otherwise they look for it, and find it, at the street corners.

We, the employees, of the licensed beverage industry and members of the Brewery and Distillery Workers Union, CIO-AFL, numbering in excess of 12,000 people in the State of Pennsylvania alone, and those untold thousands of workers in allied industries, whose welfare would be drastically affected by the passage of this discriminatory legislation, hope and pray that your committee will give serious consideration to our views as expressed and vote "no" in committee on H. R. 4627.

Very respectfully submitted.

STATEMENT OF MELVIN L. KASTEL, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF THE ILLINOIS STATE COUNCIL OF BREWERY WORKERS

Mr. Chairman, my name is Melvin L. Kastel, executive secretary of the Illinois State Council of Brewery Workers, my home is in Belleville, Ill., I speak for over 4,000 fellow workers employed in breweries and distilleries throughout the State and many, many thousands more who earn their livelihood in allied industries.

The repetitious introduction of legislation such as we oppose at this time is an insult to the integrity and intelligence of the American people, and even a greater insult to you gentlemen, key legislators in our democratic process of government. We do not propose that this should be disallowed for that would be contrary to our American concepts of liberty and freedom, the right to free speech, and the many fruitful blessings that only we as Americans can fully enjoy.

However, the proponents of this bill do not exercise the same ideologies, for they would, for the sake of fulfilling their narrow, shallow, little whims, attempt to force by pressurizing and distorting truths, their doctrines on the great, and gullible American public.

Mr. Chairman we are opponents to an antiadvertising bill-but is the issue actually directed against the advertising of alcoholic beverages in interstate commerce? In an approach that would be used by Communists, the smooth, indirect, behind-the-bush, glib-tongue method, honey-coated and hiding behind a Christian Front, these bills have been fed into our legislative hoppers time and time again. This is not an antiadvertising bill-this reeks with the stench of prohibition, the sorry experiment that failed, that left an indelible stigma which to this day is burned deeply into the minds of the Ameriran people. That's what face gentlemen. Scan the roster of the proponents and draw your own conclusions.

Statistics are the most effective means of confusing the issues, of disseminating false impressions, and you can be well assured they are taking full advantage of their use. A great mumbo-jumbo of these figures are used to vividly illustrate the relationship to drinking and juvenile delinquency. The current problems in social maladjustment and the teen-age situation is a good scapegoat for pointing the finger of shame at the licensed beverage industry, a ways and means of shooting in the back a great economic asset to our national growth and expansion by attempting to make John Q. Citizen a party and part of indoctrination that would establish the immoral impact of advertising on the immature minds of youth, and the minds of our young folks while in a formative stage of development that will carry through into future life. It has been very adequately stated, that there is no cause-and-effect relationship between drinking and juvenile delinquency. In the cases in which delinquents drink, their drinking is a symptom of their delinquency, rather than a cause.

In a report by the House Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee dated August 18, 1954, following the hearings on the Bryson bill (H. R. 1227), the committee report states, quote, "The bill before the committee and the hearings held thereon raise many difficult issues, particularly those of a constitutional character resulting from the adoption of the 21st amendment" end of quotations. The discriminatory features of these antiadvertising bills are in complete disregard of American principles, I believe that you gentlemen realize the significance of advertising in business. The right to advertise is tied-in, is correlated to freedom of the press. It is the prerogative of business in the sphere of competitive marketing to allocate proportionately funds to extoll the merits of their products. Why should irrational, unreasonable, and discriminating restric

tions be placed on the advertising of alcoholic beverages? Why not cigarettes, on automobiles, on soap, cereals and the like? Each of those products are very closely associated and used by most of us.

I repeat, we are dealing with a "Pearl Harbor"-the objective: Prohibition. We could hash through this issue for hours, and the longer we discussed it, the more determined we would become to fight it. My colleagues have and will cover all phases of this issue, again and again if necessary, but I believe the integrity of our American people will prevail despite what the professional prohibitionist, and so-called pseudo-reformers are attempting to do by their candied and back-door strategy. I fervently hope that these "white horse crusaders" are becoming saddle weary, and these reactionaries resort to activities more American-like in characteristics.

In conclusion I would like to comment briefly on past events, particularly in specific reference to my home State, Illinois, and since we are dealing with a bill that would prohibit the advertising of alcoholic beverages in interstate commerce-actually a prohibition bill, I believe the remarks would be appropriate. We in Illinois are particularly aware of the diabolical evils of prohibition, our international reputation during those dark years can attest to that. I believe the Chicago gang wars of the roaring twenties are without precedence in the annals of violent murder and crime, in complete disregard for law and order this era of shame will never be eradicated from memories. Simultaneously in southern Illinois the blood flowed freely as rival gangsters employing military tactics, using tanks and airplanes blazed a shocking trail of horror across the State. We know why this blood was shed, why law was made a mockery-competition to see who could eliminate the other from the lush, lucrative business of selling illicit moonshine and home-brew, exclusive rights, dictated with the snout of a machinegun. Legalization has stamped out these rackets, but there are those who would gladly have those days return. Proponents of this bill evidently would be happy about it, a more fertile field in which to spread a gospel based on sham and pretense.

In my own home town, Belleville, a city of 35,000, home-brew and moonshine joints flourished, several in each block. My folks operated a grocery store on the main street and we lived above our place of business. I was a prohibition baby born in 1917. Very vividly I recall walking to church on Sunday mornings. What a sight to behold, every doorway a virtual cesspool, the evidence of the Saturday night orgies prevalent at every step along the way. It was not unusual to find at least one paralyzed victim in the back alley behind our store every Sunday morning. Things are different now, you don't encounter these sights any more. Prohibition has passed-legalized control is in effect and the abuses that do exist are being intelligently corrected and curtailed rationally, with understanding and integrity by the industry in conjunction with law enforcement agencies. While these many prohibition abuses are indelibly imprinted, the task of those who object to the television and radio advertising that is causing such a stir is comparatively simple. It can be accomplished by merely turning a dial or a switch either to another station or completely off.

In closing let me state that I sincerely hope the members of this committee will not see fit to report this bill out of committee, I wholeheartedly hope the faith in our legislators, our leaders can be justified by their evaluation of bills that single out one industry that by their enactment would tend to destroy it.

STATEMENT OF JAMES W. SHORT, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY-TREASURER, FLORIDA STATE COUNCIL OF BREWERY WORKERS

Honorable sirs, I, James W. Short, executive secretary-treasurer of the Florida State Council of Brewery Workers AFL-CIO after being duly authorized by the brewery workers of the State of Florida and in their personal behalf, vigorously protest against passage of House bill H. R. 4627.

I am therefore before you as a personal and official representative of my union and its members.

I think you will agree with me that American industry and business in general is based on competition. To meet competition industry and business must advertise its product as being better than its competitor. To destroy this vital element of our merchandising system would be like removing its very backbone. It appears to us that the out and out "drys" are seeking passage of this bill so as to break the backbone of our industry. It is a first step and back-door

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