Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-07-03
public, the chief sufferer in strikes, by find ,
ing some means of placing responsibility and
forcing reimbursement for the losses sus |
tanned.
A Dry Nation

D RESIDENT WILSON has disappointed the
1 hopes OF those curious souls who expected
him TO declare an army demobiized, when it
is not, in order that the American people
might continue to buy intoxicating liquors
until the constitutional amendment goes into
effect. But he has given distinct surprise
10 those who imagined that he would not have
the boldness to act in that direction once it
is possible for him to do within both the
spirit and the letter of the law.
AS soon as the emergency army has been
demobilized and the military establishment re-
turns to a peace footing, the President will
proclaim the fact and will authorize the fur
Their sale of intoxicating liquors until January
16, when the prohibition amendment becomes
operative. He has given fair notice of his
purpose, and it now remains to be seen how
soon the War Department will be able to re-
turn to America and to discharge all those
troops now under arms whose service is to
terminate with the passing Of the emergency.
The safest calculations indicate that two
full months will be required to transport to
these shores the 100000 American soldiers
now in France or in the occupied areas of
Germany. The War Department has moved
somewhat more than 500 900 men in month,
but that was at the height of the return move
ment. Since then many of the warships en-
ployed for troop transport service have been
withdrawn. reducing the transport capacity
"
Even so, within ...e next ninety days it may
be assumed that the President will feel at
liberty to issue his proclamation declaring
wartime prohibition at end. The question
arises as to whether this proclamation will
permit further sales of ardent spirits as we'll
as light wines and beer. In his message to
Congress the President recommended that
legislation differentiating between the two be
enacted to the end that wine and beer be
made legally salable from July l. But Con-
sress did not act on that suggestion. 1t re-
fused TO lower the bars or to amend its earlier
enactment in any detail, but proceeded with
its program of enforcement just as if it an
ticipated no executive action whatever
This would seem to mean that when the
Presidents proclamation is issued, it will re-
turn the country 10 100 per cent wet basis.
Certainly this will be true unless in the mean
time Congress finds some means Of defeating
the expressed purposes of the President or OF
limiting his power to wine and beer Such
action would be of doubtful constitutionality.
The courts have held that Congress, while
war was in progress, had right under its
war powers to enact prohibition by statute
but the courts have not held that peace hav-
ing come, Congress may still legislate in the
same direction.
Moreover, Congress cannot legislate further
upon this question without taking into ac-
count the possibility of veto. While there
are substantial dry majorities in both
branches OF that body it is by no means GER
tain that these majorities are sufficiently over
whelming TO override presidential veto, and
II Congress is wise, it will not undertake to
pass any measure which is threatened with
executive disapproval