Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-03-14
LAWS BETTER
ENFORCED IN
! NORTH DAKOTA
Suppression of Sunday War
Pictures Called "Act of
True Patriotism"

meeting of the executive board Of that
organization. The principal feature OF
the session was a discussion Of the
annual report filed by r. l.. Watkins,
superintendent OF the league, who re-
views the satisfactory progress of the
prohibition movement ali Over the
United States, and, incidentally,
scores North Dakota law officers Ono
names mentioned) who are members
of drinking clubs. The report advo-
Gates disbarment of such men be-
cause they t%iagrantly violate the law
which they are asked to enforce.
That the suppression of the Sunday
exhibition of United States war moN-
ing pictures was an "act of true pa
triotism and required the highest type
of courage" on the part of Attorney
General William LANCER, is asserted
in the report of Mr.. Watkins.
Pool halls are denounced as an evil,
and the report suggests hat they be
put under state supervision with state
inspection.
Prohibition Spreading.
Mr.. Watkins, in looking over the
achievements of the prohibition
movement during 1917, comments, as
follows:
THE alacrity with which the states
are ratifying the constitutional
amendment indicates hat the year
1918 has not lost any of the spirit of
antipathy to the liquor interests. Al
ready only three months away from
submission eight states have ratified,
three of which have not adopted
statewide prohibition. 1t is quite pos
siblc that the slogan Victory in 1920
started by the w. C. T. u. a few years
ago will prove to he IL true prophecy.
The majority by which congress sub
mitted and the overwhelming majori-
ty by which every state thus far has
ratified indicates the tremendous
strength of the movement. At this
suade congress that the time has
come for immediate war prohibition.
In North Dakota.
The North Dakota 1917 legislature
passed House Bill 80. Bone Dry;
House Bill 3SS defining intoxicating
liquor SO as to include soft drinks not
bottled n sealed; and Senate Bill S5
providing for sweeping INDUCTION
against common carriers illegally
transporting liquor; Prof. f. T.. Ladd
n VIM. LANCER. Attorney General
reached an agreement with soft drink
manufacturers outside the state that
before i~mportations of their bever-
ages could be made they must deposit
a heavy bond to insure that such bev-
erages will not contain more than
fifteen one-hundredths of one per. cent
of alcohol. An agreement also was
reached between the committee of the
Druggist association and VIM. LANCER
and myself as to the name in which
alcohol might he imported and
handled under our law for compound
ing and bathing purposes.
East Grand Forks Brewery Closed.
VNl~~~ -, 49, . - - .~-s<l
ly growing sentiment against the bev-
erage use of alcohol by our citizens.
The conditions in Jul state are far
better than on July l., 1917 when the
state and Federal bone dry laws went
into effect. Some liquor is being inn
ported but a. large number have been
caught and prosecuted in state and
Federal court and it is extremely
dangerous to bring liquor into this
state. The closing up of the East
Grand Forks brewery has done away
with the largest single cause of viola
ton: the pushing back of the wet
border in Minnesota has out down i'm
p%ortations from that direction. The
largest source of complaint just now
is that railroad eXpressmen, brake
men and porters are bringing liquo,
from East and West and delivering
the same to. parties along the line
The state supreme court has upheld
Judge Cole in the Shaw removal case
thereby holding our removal law
constitutional and hat the pres!den
of a city commission is Il mayor to al
I~intents of our Law. A rehearing ha'
been asked for. This is by far tn,
most important matter pending in tn,
state. Justices A. A. Bruce. L. f
Birdzell and r. H.. Grace upholdin,
!, the law and Justices J.. F.. Robinson
and NJ. A. Christensen dissenting
Vigorous prosecutions have beel
conducted in the capital city by tn,
states attorney and police depart
ment assisted by the enforcement
league and conditions in the capita
city are better than they have eve
been before. The whole situatio'
relative to the enforcement Of thos
laws that relate to the moral welfar
is improving"
Officials Arc Improving,
The report sets forth that "the gen
eral attitude of officials has beer ia
better than BEFORE" and then cor
%tinues:
"a judge whose sympathies ar
with h lawless element can by h
attitude, rulings or instructions befol
the jury SO influence them that the
will not find the defendant guilt,
] When found guilty the judge ma
show his love for the lawless elemer
by imposing light sentences and usin
] the suspended sentence. Where Law
%lessness prevails to a large degree. tt
blame may rightfully be laid at tt
door Of the Judge. He can uphold tt
! dignity of the law and compel its Ell
forcement If he wants too. With
the past eight years there are sever
instances in this state where tt
ii change of judges has quickly wrong
a complete change for the bette
Whether judge, prosecuting or pea
officer he has no right to occupy o
Il fetal space and be lax as to law G,
forcement. Twenty-eight years
prohibition shows that the people
North Dakota are overwhelmingly
favor of the law and want it enforce
and for any official to. be less thu
aggressive amounts to notification
the will of the people and a Violate
OF his oath. There has been in til
q Estate a practice that is most repr
hensible and callAs for most SIEVE
condemnation. Officials who take I'll
: oath to enforce the law. are membe
!. of drinking clubs and frequent Il
same and other places where the pr
hibition and gambling Ia WIS are fla
rantly violated and themselves pa
ticipate in violations. No wonder Il
laws are not enforced such attitud
and acts are dishonorable and gu,
officials ought to be bounded out
office. No group Of citizens can mai
tain their self respect who contin,
to elect such men or allow them
continue in Office. Further more ]
State Bar association. can mainta
it's selfrespect who fail to dishar fro
practice Of law any mar who accep
reasonable Office. takes the oath
enforce the law and him.elf ente
upon the fragrant violation IT law
Courage Of the Highest Tyne.