The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1919-03-06

threatened for July l next. But that
is not constitutional prohibition, for
constitutional prohibition will not
come into force until more than six
later. It was merely through
the exercise of the extraordinary war
powers granted to him by subser-
Went congress that the president is
sued the ukase for prohibition on
July I, ukase which is to be in force
only so long as it pleases the presi-
dent. The supposition has been that
he would keep it in force until it was
supplanted by constitutional prohibi-
ton, which will become effective in
January next pei aps and that
thus July 1 would see the establish
ment of perpetual prohibition.
1t is obvious, however, that it is in
the presidents power to terminate
the prevalence of that ukase at any
time; and indeed to rescind it alto
gether before the time set for it to
become effective. In that case it
would never become operative, and
there would be no prohibition on July
1. Obvious motives for taking such
a step must strongly appeal to the
presidents mind. The probability is
that the treaty of peace will be made
and that the war will thus be ended
both in theory and in practice before
July 1. In that case it would be H.
logical if nothing worse to continue
extraordinary war measures after that
date. It would be absurd to enforce
measures "for the efficient prosecution
Of the war" after the war was Of
fcially declared to have ended We
submit that the prospect that it will
thus be ended before July l is suf-
fciently assured to warrant the i'm
mediate resembling of the prohibition
ukase.
There is another reason, to which
we have already referred. We are
entering upon crucial period of eco
less crucial than the war itself, in
which it is supremacy desirable that
there shall be no strikes, no social
disturbances. It would BE nothing
short of disastrous to have at such a
time nationwide strike over an en-
tirely extraneous issue. To avert
such catastrophe would be album
dant reason for Immediately abolish
ing the provision for nationwide pro-
,hibition on July /, and for postponing
the date until January next, by which
time the process of. industrial reor-
ganization will be sufficiently ad-
vanced to enable US far better to en-
dure such disturbances, if they must
occur.
Whether they are to occur at all is
a question for future determination
which is to be commended to the gov
eminent at Washington for careful
consideration. Or perhaps we should
say that there is thus to be commend
ed to it the matter which may be made
the pretext for strikes; for it would
be intolerable to have governmental
action or nonaction influenced by fear
of such disturbances. If thing is
right, let the government stand by it,
though all the strikes in the world be
threatened; if it be wrong, let it re-
pudiate it, even though there be net
single threat or demand made cor
corning it. The question before the
government will be, then, whether it
is right to impose this sumptuary or
dinance upon the nation by constitu-
tional amendment, and thus to prost;-
tute the organic law Of the nation to
a purpose for which it was never in
tended Col. Harvey in The Weekly.