The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-06-29
PRESIDENT WIRES
He CANNOT LIFT
THE BAN LEGALLY
INTIMATES HE WILL DO SO AFTER
DECENTRALIZATION Is COM.
PI.ETED.

Washington. June 2S.-Presldent WI.
son has decided that he cannot legally
lift the wartime prohibition ban before
the country goes dry at midnight Mon
day, though he expects to do 80 as soon
thereafter as his power IL made clear
b. the completion of rehabilitation.
II, cablegram made public tonight
IA the White House, the president said
he was convinced after consultation
with his legal advisers that he had no
authority to act at this time.
The message expressed no opinion as
to the authority of the president when
he raises the ban to make his action APP
plicablc only TO beer and wine.
The secretary to the president, at
the White House tonight, made public
the following cable from President Will
son with reference to wartime prohioi.
ton;
~ am convinced that the attorney
general is right In advising me that l
have no legal power at this time In the
matter of the ban on liquor. Under
the act of November, 1918, my power
to take action is restricted The act
provides that after June 80, 1919. until
the conclusion of the present war and
thereafter until the rehabilitation. the
sale, etc. shall be determined and pro-
claimed by the president. 1t shall be un-
lawful etc
This law does not specify that the
ban shall be lifted with the signing or
peace. but with the termination or de-
mobilization of troops, and cannot say
that that has been accomplished. MY
information from the war department
is that there are a million men In the
service under the emergency. There
fore, the failure of congress to act upon
the suggestion contained I'm my mes
sage of the Goth of May, 1919, asking
for a repeal of the act of November Il.
1918, as far as 1t applies to wines ana
beer makes it impossible to act in this
matter at this time.
when rehabilitation is terminated,
my power to act without congressional
action will be exercised.
WOODROW WILSON"
Refusal of President Wilson to act
at this time means that the long arm
of the wartime law will reach out
quietly at midnight Monday and close
the door of every liquor establishment
on American soil.
"HOw SoOn?" il Question
Next in public interest to announce
ment of the presidents attitude comes
the question-how soon will the army
be demobilized? There was strong be-
lief i'm some quarters tonight that TINS
date would not be long delayed, in view
of the sgnin gof the treaty, the action
of congress in reducing the size OF
the army and the effort of the govern
ment to bring back all troops from
abroad just as speedily as it 81 hu-
manly possible to bring them.
The presidents emphatic announce
ment as to what he would do when de-
mobilization "is terminated" was ex-
actly in line with the opinion of mem
bers of the house judiciary committee
expressed heretofore-that it did not
require congressional action to author
ze him to declare wartime prohibit
ton ended.
With all doubt removed as to what
the president would or would not do,
-prohibtionists in the house pre-
pared omake the best fight possible
on the general prohibition enforce
ment bill which was reported out yes
terday by the judiciary committee. 1t
will not be taken up on the floor until
after the short holiday recess which
means that the government will de-
pend upon present laws for enforce
ment of the wartime act. Warning
already has been given that these pro-
vide ample penalties and ample means
of prosecution.