The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1919-01-16
Federal Prohibition.

New Orleans Times PicdyNne, 9th.l
The fate of the federal prohibition
amendment will he decided this month.
probably in the next few days. and
there. seems little doubt as to the de-
ciSiOn. 1t Is true that the opponents
of the measure now proclaim that the
most determined resistance must he
made" hut it is difficult to see on what
lines it will he made and it looks as
though the opposition is somewhat late
to accomplish any practical results.
The diStillerS lave apparently about
Ill ;,ndOned the hope of defeating the
ratification of the amendment before
the state legislatures and are now pro-
posing to carry the question to the
courts when the Government starts to
carry the law into effect. The objec-
ton is made that Congress did not pass
the measure by the required two-thirds
majority in both houses. \ case before
the courts may succeed in securing
some delay and tying up the question.
As far as the voters of the state leg
iSlatureS are concerned. the prospects
of defeating the amendment are bad.
1t was hoped hy the ''wets" that the
strong prohibition movement spreading
through this country and 50 largely
! aSed OH war protection. to defend our
soldiers and sailors. would show evil
deilce of decline when the war was
over. and this protection ceased to lie
so necessary. lut this expectation has
failed. Either because the sentiment in
favor Of prohilition was too deep
| seated or too well organized. or be-
cause partial trial was believed to
have been beneficial. the, prohibition
cause has grown stronger than it was
Il year ago. and several of the states
| that were supposed to be anti-prOhi-
| lition. or ut least doubtful. are now ad
mittedly certain to approve the amend
ment. and indeed several of them have
reversed their position.
Rhode Island. for instance. year
ago when its legislature was in session
refused to pass the amendment and
postponed it indefinitely. 1t is now
claimed for prohil ition. and is GER
tainly doubtful The same claim is
made for California. which rejected
prolii ition last year hut afterwards
elected IL prOhil ition governor. The zig
| city of Los Angeles has closed its sal
looms. and only one county aud the city
Of San Francisco are now entirely
wet" In Indiana and Nebraska. where
it was impossible to get the two houses
to agree for ratification, the states are
under EOne-dry laws which have had
the approval of large majorities of the
voters.
Nineteen states have already de-
clared for ratification of the federal
Observation-Disclosures so declared Mon
day. Ohio. oklahoma and Colorado
in different portions Of the country.
and only seventeen more states are
needed for the .three-fourths majority
necessary to make the amendment IL
part of the Constitution of the United
States. Twenty-three states are hold
ing legislative sessions this month, and
it is expected out of these 20 get the
seventeen votes needed. AS matter of
fact twenty of the states that will lie
asked to pass OH the amendment. have
already pronounced for prohibition
either through their legislatures or by
popular votes or are now living under
prohibition laws of various degrees of
severity.
In some of these states the VETS
will carry the fight to the bitter end.
as. for Instance. Alabama and Ten
neSSee. In New York. New Jersey and
| PENNSYLVANIA the fight will be tierceSt.