Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-01-16
Thirty-five State Legislatures
Have Already Ratified the
Measure and Four Others
Are Ready to Act.
LIQUOR MEN SEEK TO
0BSTRUCT OPERATION
Generally Predicted That Sale
of IntoxiCants Will Cease in
United States First Of Next
July.

tsv sosslns JovaAAt srEc,Al LEASED WINS
Washington Jan. l5.--Legislature
of thirtyfive states--one less than the
required three e-fourths-have ratified
the prohibition constitutional amend
ment Several state assemblies now
in session are expected to take action
tomorrow with a probable race be-
tween New Mexico Nebraska, Miss
ouri and Minnesota as to which will
be the thirty sixth on the list.
Ratification was completed today
by the legislatures OF five states
Iowa, Colorado, Oregon, New Hamp-
shire and Utah-making total of
twelve in two days OF the, thirty-fiye
states that have taken action, only
fourteen have certified their action To
the federal state department. They
are Virginia, Kentucky, North Dakota,
South Carolina, Maryland, south Da-
kota, Texas, Montana, Delaware. Mas
sachusotts, Arizona. Georgia, Louisiana
and Michigan,
Year From Ratificaslpr
'fhe amendment. undeI III. esosis.
ions, becomes effective one year from
the date OF its final ratification. Ad-
ditional legislation by congress Is nee
~essary to make II operative and ground
work for this already has been laid.
This legislation will prescribe penal
ties for violation of the amendment
and determine how and by what
agencies the law shall be enforced.
If ratification is completed this
month, many officials here believe the
country will become permanently
dry" next July l. the date on which
the special wartime prohibition re-
Gently enacted by congress goes into
effect This law prevents the manu-
facture and sale of intoXlcants for bev-
erage purposes and remains in force
until the demohilization Of the ma
tons war armies is completed.
Obstructive Action Taken.
Court action To prevent the amend-
ment becoming operative already has
been started in California. where an
order temporarily restraining Gov
ernor stephens from signing ratifica-
ton OF the amendment has been OBJ
tanned. 1t has been intimated that
similar action may be taken in other
states in which, it is said, state laws
require that federal constitutional
amendments must be submitted to q
referendum.
The prohibition amendment passed
shall be by legislatures of the several
states as provided by the constitu-
ton"
The Prohibition Resolution.
The resolution follows:
"Resolved by the senate and house
Of representatives of the United States
of America in congress assembled
Gwo-thirds of each house coneurring
therein), that the following amend
,ment to the constitution be, and here
by is, proposed to the states, to be-
come valid as n part of the constitu-
tion when ratified by the legislatures
of the several states as provided by
the constitution:
Article
Section AFTER one year from
the ratification of this article the
manufacture. sale or transportation of
Intoxicating liquors within, the impor-
tatlon thereof into. or the expectation
thereof from the United States and all
territory subject to the jurisdiction
thereof for beverage purposes is here
by prohibited.
Section 2-The congress and the
several states shall have concurrent
power to enforce this article my APP
propriate legislation.
section 3---I ms afllClo SIidtl De ul-
operative unless it shall have been
ratified as an amendment to the con-
stitution by the legislatures of the sew
eral states, as provided in the consti-
tuition, within seven years from the
date of the submission hereof to tina
states by congress.
The resolution was passed by the
senate 65 TO 20, ON August /, 1917.
and by the house, 2S2 to 12s, OH De-
cember IL, 1917.
Mississippi was the first state TO
ratify the amendment, its legislature
acting January s, 1918.
California's Action Perfectly Valid
Sacramento, Calf. Jan. 15.--Cait-
fornia ranks among the states that
have ratified the congressional pro-
hibition resolution and can be in
cluded among the number necessary
to make the required three-fourths of
the states without further official ac-
ton, L. S. Webb, attorney general
said here today in discussing the writ
of Injunction issued in San Francisco
to restrain the governor from certi-
flying to the ratification.
II think the action of the legisla
ture was final" Webb said. "anG |
believe ii is immaterial whether the