The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-10-27
President Disapproues
Dry Enforcement Law
War. Time Prohibition Clauses
Confused Measure With War
Emergency Act.
EXPL A TON GIVEN
Interpretation Is, Unless Com
gress Repasses Bill There
Will Come wet Spell"

Will Come WET Spell"
Washington, Oct. 27.--Prssident
Wilson this afternoon vetoed the prc-
hibition enforcement bill. Il was am
nouneed at the White House late this
afternoon.
Tho preside Mt in his veto message,
declared that he could not approve
the act because of the wartime prohi-
bition clauses, which he declared
were conce rned with an act adopted
as a war emergency.
Reasons for Veto.
The presidents veto message fol-
flows:
ITO the House of Representa-
tiyes-I am returning without
my signature II. r. $50. an act
to prohibit intoxicating bever-
ages. and to regulate the manu-
, facture, production, use and sale
of high proof spirits for other
than beverage purposes, and 10
insure an ample supply of alco-
| hol and promote its use in scien-
1
i ment of fuel. dye and other law
ful industries.
"The subject matter treated In
! this measure deals with two dis
| tinct phases OF the prohibition.
One part of the act under consid-
Grafton seeks to enforce wartime
prohibition. The other provides
for the enforcement which was
| made necessary by the adoption
| of the constitutional amendment.
| / object to and cannot approve
| that part of this legislation with
| reference to wartime prohibition.
1T has to do with the enforce
| ment Of an act which was passed
by reason of the emergencies of
| the war and whose objects have
| been satisfied IN the demobiliza-
ton Of the army and navy and
whose repeal | have already
sought at the hands of congress-
Where the purposes of particu-
lar legislation arising out Of war
emergency have been satisfied.
sound public policy makes clear
the reason and necessity for re-
peal.
"It will not be difficult for con-
gress In considering this impor-
tant matter to separate these
two questions and effectively to
legislate regarding them; max
ing the proper distinction be-
tween temporary causes which
arose out of wartime emergen-
cies and those like the constitu-
tional amendment of prohibition
which is now part. of the funda-
mental law of the country. In
all matters having TO do with the
personal habits and customs of
large numbers of our people, we
must be certain that the estab-
lished processes of legal change
are followed. In no other way
can the salutary object sought to
be accomplished by great reforms
OF. this character be made salts
factory and permanent.
| (Signed)
WOODROW WILSON.
THE White House, Oct. 27, 1917
Wet Spell.
The Interpretation of the veto 4
. official circles was that unless con
gress repasses the bill over the pres
ident's veto or Immediately enacts
similar measure which becomes Law
there will be a wet spell' until ma
tional prohibition becomes effectiv
under the constitutional amendmen
in January.
The leaders in congress said the
were unable to say today whethe
they could muster enough votes I
pass the bill over the presidents vet
or not.
Senate leaders who have ha
charge of the prohibition measur,
including Senator Sterling. republi
can, of South Dakota, and Senate
. Sheppard, democrat. of Texas. sal
they believed the measure could b
passed over the presidents veto. The
favored an attempt to do so, the
said.
: Sale of liquor remains Illegal un
der the wartime prohibition law" sal
Representative Golstead, chairma
of the house judiciary committe,
Enforcement of the wartime act wi
3 continue as at present. though tn
: existing laws are rather inadequat
and not as effective as they shoul
be. The enforcement of the wartim
t act is with the department of jus
( tice."
= Mr.. Volstead, while reserving con-
:. ment on the possibility of passin
Il the bill over the presidents vet,
I pointed out that the measure passe
= the house by vote of 2S7 to 100, {
more than the necessity two-third
r to override the veto.
Y Atty-G Palmer, 1t was learne,
! held that the enforcement measur
was constitutional.