Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1919-01-29

The United States of America has
entered upon the tremendous social ex-
pertinent of national prohibition Of
the manufacture, sale and use of alco-
holic drinks. There will be abundant
time to give the experiment fair test
since the prohibition is by constitu-
tional amendment. To all appearances
this mendate by the American people
against the use of alcohol is intended
to be absolute and final. We have
written it into organic law-into mag
| ma charta-in the form Of the eight
eenth amendment to the Constitution
Of the United States.
And the manner of the passing of
this constitutional amendment Is quite
as remarkable as the amendment itself.
Action on the seventeen previous
| amendments to the Constitution has
taken between nine months and forty
three months, an average of about two
years. The resolution providing for
this eighteenth amendment was passed
by congress December II, 1917. On
January 16, 1919, its ratification by
the states is accomplished.
Prohibition is both an economic ques-
ton and moral question. The war
set the American people to looking at
prohibition from both viewpoints. We
| got accustomed to the thought that
grain was better eaten as food than
swallowed as liquor, inasmuch as we
| we're told that food would win the
war. We saw what the enforced So
briefly Of military service did physical
~, mentally and morally for young
men who had INDUCED in liquor in
peace times.
Some of our allies got into the war
In hurry because they had to-Bel-
GUM and France to save their lives,
Great Britain to save it's national hon.
or. America took its time-a long time
and gradually worked itself up to
the determination to fight. Doubtless
much consideration of prohibition was
a part Of this slow process. So that
when the opportunity came the states
Of the Union went over the top just
about as the American marines and
doughboys did in the Argonne.
Text Of Amendment.
| Following is the full text Of the pro-
hibition amendment on which state
legislatures are voting:
JOINT RESOLUTION PROPOSING
AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTI-
TUITION OF THE UNITED STATES.
Resolved by the senate and house
of representatives of the United
States of America, in congress assem-
bled, two-thirds Of each house concur
ring therein, that the following amend
ment to the Constitution be, and here
by is. proposed to the states to be-
come valid as part Of the Constitu-
ton when ratified by the legislatures
Of the several states as provided by
the Constitution:
Section latter one year from the
ratification of this article the manu-
facture, sale or transportation Of ill.,
toxicating liquors within, the ilnpor-
tation 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 have concurrent pow
er to enforce this article by appropri-
ate legislation.
Section 3-This article shall be in
operative unless 1t shall have been
ratified as an amendment to the Con.
stttution 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 the
states by the congress-.
CHAMP CLARK, speaker of the
house of representatives.
THOMAS MARSHALL, vice pres.
ident Of the United States and pres.
ident Of the senate.
certify that this joint resolution
originated in the senate.
JAMES NJ. BAKER, secretary.
The amendment was passed by the
senate on August l, 1917, and passed
by the house on December II OF the
same year. It was passed by the sen
ate with the house amendments on
December 10. The vote in the sen.
ate was IS to 20 and in the house
282 to 128.
Ratification by the States.
The next step was ratification of
this amendment by the states through
their legislatures. This called for af-
firmative action by thirty-six states
within seven years. Mississippi was
the first state to ratify, both senate
and house taking action January 8,
1918. Three other Southern states
followed in January-Virginia, Ken
lucky, South Carolina. Then came
North Dakota. Other states followed
In the order named, Nebraska being
the thirty-sixth and completing the
| ratification.
Maryland West Virsinix
I Montana. California =
Texas. Warrington.
Delaware Indiana,
South Dakota. ArkanoaA.
Massachusetts Illinois. Z
Arizona. North cazolina. ~
Georgia. Kansas.
Louisiana. Alabama, H.. -
=! 10Raa