The sun., 1919-01-18
ANTl-SALOON LEAGUE
WILL HARRY VETS
Tells Why II Believes Amend
n1ent Will Stand.

Tue work Of the Anti-Saioon League
of New York will not end when the pro-
h!bition amendment goes into effect. said
the Rev Rollin o. Overhart OF the league
yesterday. He believes that all but one
or two OF the States will ratify the
amendment. and says that II leading Re-
publican States like New York and Penn
svlyan.a do not fall into line it will have
a bad effect on the party in 1920
Our aid must be given In the pressing
~ the battle against the liquor traffic to
the ends of the earth" he said. There
can be no question hut that economic
con nsiderations will aid effectively every
Industrial nation to hurry the achieve
ment OF prohibition there also. as none
realize more clearly than the heavily
trink!ng nations how tremendous IS the
handicap under which they will labor in
worldwide competition with so intelligent
and resourceful nation as the United
states advantaged further by deliver
auce from the wastes. inef!iciencies and
destruction which have always grown out
o. the beverage liquor traffic.
LIQUOR Now an Outlaw.
10 come. but the situation will be differ
ont from that obtaining now. Hereto
fore the liquor traffic has had the ad-
vantage OF position. Hercetorth ell its
advantages of position will be gone. all
IS respectabil!ty will be swept away
and It will be a hunted and harried out
law instead OF an arrogant and III
'Ienched power.
"The three grounds upon which the
'quo- interests have been accustomed to
81 "a their charges Of unconstitut!onality
l'spect!ng the Federal prohibition
amendment are:
81 That Il Is improper matter for
Incorporation in the Federal Constitution.
80 That Il was not submitted by a
real two-thrds vote OF Congress, and
90 That the seven year limitation
provision in II renders its submission null
a.d void.
The first has never been regarded as
~ any consequence. A constitution
which admitted an amendment for
l'ddlng slavery. ~ an equally appo-
rr!ate place for an amendment for
i,ldng the liquor traffic. With respect
70 the second allegation, II has already
been decided twice that a two-thirds OF
both branches OF Congress means two
thirds vote OF a quorum, the first de-
,.slon being by United States District
Judge HolliSter OF Cincinnati, ana the
other decision being by no less an
authority than the Supreme Court Of
'he United states in recent decision
respecting the same point on the vote
required to pass the Webb-Kenyon law
over the Presidents veto.
Litigation Doesn't Enter.
And with respect TO the seven year
limitation Objectionable charge that be-
cause the amendment as submitted by
Congress provided that 1t be ratified
within seven years TO become a valid
Iart OF the Constitution-that Issue
could arise only provided more than
seven years were consumed in the rati-
fyiHg Inasmuch as It has been ratified
IN thirteen months, that limitation has
rot entered into the case at all. Further
more, constitutional lawyers OF the higa'
est order hold that had there been neces-
ETY. 10 put II to the test. 1t would be
found that the limiting provision was
valid
THE liquor threats to bring referen-
DUN votes reviewing the ratification ac-
ton OF fifteen state Legislatures is futile
md foolish. Members OF Legislature
when voting upon Federal constitu-
tonal amendment are not acting under
State law, but Federal law. BY virtue
Of the State law they hold Office as
legialators. but the only law which en-
titles them TO vote on q Federal amend
Jent is Federal law. And that Federal
law cannot modify or change the method
a. amending the Federal Constitution
merely by adopting the referendum with
ka a. OAaN la axfu1a ttga n .