The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1919-03-28
Chicago Drys Consider the
Question Settled by
National Laws
PURPOSE OF VETS
Is TO WEAKEN LAW
The Liquor Interests Ask Votes as
Protest to Congress
THE WET CAUSE WILL FAIL

There will be no campaign in Chi
cago for dry votes ON Npril on the
question, Shall This Gity Become
Anti-Saloon Territory" The reasons
for this have already been stated, but
may be reviewed briefly again
Since the question OF the validity
OF the petition was argued before the
Supreme Court OF Illinois wartime
Prohibition has been adopted 10y Com
gress to cover the period from July
until rehabilitation has been conf
pleted. The National Prohibition
Amendment has been ratified by IS
states. These two far-rcaching acts
OF the national government have en-
tirely altered the situation.
The Supreme Court OF course
could not take cognizance OF outside
matters, but were governed by the
merits OF the case before them and
SO ordered the question ON the ballot
as they found the election commits
sionors had done an illegal thing in
ruling off the petition last year. In
the words OF the Supreme Court, the
act of the election commissioners was
illegal, a usurpaton OF authority and
in defiance OF the law as declared by
this court"
The only thing involved in the cleo
ton on April | is whether or not sas.
loon licenses may be granted for the
two months from May | to July |.
Ii the vets go beyond that and at
tempt to incite a spirit OF disobcdience
to the national Prohibition laws. they
arc treading upon dangerous ground.
Legal Courses Open for the Wets
There arc some things which the
vets have right to do in their efforts
to defend themselves against national
Prohibition. First. they have a right
to institute any legal attacks they
which to against federal Prohibition,
or against the 18th amendment. Sec
ond, they have the right to offer a
repeal to the amendment in Congress
and then make an issue OF the repeal
in the election OF members to Con-
grcss. II they succeed in securing
the election of two-thrds of the
Imcmbers OF Congress, pledged to a
repeal OF the 18th amendment, they
have a perfect right to do SO. After
that they have a right to bend their
energies toward the election OF men,
bers OF the yariou, state legislatures
who will vote to ratify the repeating
jact, and il they can get 80 states TO
ratify such repeating act then the 18th
amendment would be no longer oper-
ativc.
Must Obey Law
But while the vets are pursuing the
above course there is only one law
full attitude for them to take-that is,
they must obey the law as long as it
is the law. They have no right to
campaign for the election of officials
who will wink at the violation OF the
law. They have no right to agitate
for the defiance of the law. If they
do this the only proper course to
take with them is that which Andrew
Jackson took with the nulifcationists
of South Carolina.
The Vets Cause is Hopeless
The most optimistic of the vets do
not believe that they can secure a
repeal OF the 18th amendment. There
fore this amendment is to remain in
the constitution as part of the funda-
mental law of the land, and the con-
test from this on is one of law en-
lforcement.
Is this to be country governed
under law, or are the German brewers
to rule it? For the VETS to carry on
campaign in Chicago under existing
circumstances with view of terror
izing the government, soaring Con-
gress and the Supreme Court is not
very much short of seditious.