Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-07-07
ANT|-WE IS WARN
AGAINST DELAY ON
DRY CODE ACTION
League Counsel Says if SoIons
Do Not Act Quickly People
viii Brand Their Inactivity
As IneXCuSabIe,
TN Chnrles NICHOLSON.

pears to the league, Mr.. Wheeler says:
I'm the meantime people will Del
asking congress why they have notl
passed the enforcement code. Any
unnecessary delay in the enforcement
of the code will be considered mex
cusable by the people"
This is taken as a warning that i'll
the congressman do not get busy the !
Anti saloon league will call out the
home guard and start a bombardment
from the constituents of the sort that
makes statesmen gray before their
time.
With practically every saloon inI
the country either closed or shame
facedly selling the innocuous 2 ga per
cent beer and the attorney general an
nouncing that the rebels at Atlantic
City will be dealt with summarily it'll
might be supposed the organization
that put prohibition over might bel
content to enjoy its triumph, but sol
long as anybody in this broad land
can get drink 1t will not rest.
Drys Hopclessfy Divided
What makes the spur uncomforta-
BILE at this time is nat the drys I'M
congress appear to he hopelessly di-
vided over the proper course to take
III CONSTRUCTING
ment legislation. The vets believe
this will delay the pending bill and
are consequently cheerful.
There will be no separate considera-
ton of wartime and constitutional
enforcement legislation if Chairman
Volstead of the house judiciary COM
mittee maintains the stand he has
taken. He expects to resist efforts to
pass two bills, in opposition to the
republican floor leader, Mr.. Mondell,
who may take a strong hand in the
dispute and demand separate meas
ures. . ......
Mr.. Volstead has the advantage on
the parliamentary side. The prohibit
ton enforcement bill has been report
ed to the house, The judiciary COM
mittee can no longer act upon 1t un-
less the house recommits the meas
ure. The committee has four times re-
fused to adopt motions for reporting
the wartime prohibition as a separate
measure. If the house should strike
out title 1, or wartime enforcement,
those who vote that way will be in
the blasphemous attitude of opposing
the Anti-saloon league.
1t would be possible for the judi
ciary committee, If a majority desired,
to report out wartime enforcement
bill similar to title /, and ask those
to eliminate that title from the bill
now reported The committee repeat
edly has turned down such proposals,
and there is doubt that it will change
front at this late date.
Only Few of Troubles.
These are but few of the troubles
confronting the drys in congress.
They are wrought up because the
courts have left loophole for the
sale of ga per cent beer and because
the attorney general will not step in
and stop it without waiting for q
final judicial decision. Some want tc
put through the enforcement legisla-
ton at once, which would be tanta-
mount to directing his to enforce ar
absolutely dry law.
But they see now great chances of
delay in two quarters. The supreme
court will not be in session until Oc-
tober, and the United States senate
cannot BE- counted upon 10 put
through speedily a measure involving
such big questions as those in the pro-
hibition bill
In the meantime there IS a chance
that rehabilitation will he declared al
an end. and that no enforcement leg
islation for wartime prohibition viii
go through in time to do any good
Attorney General Palmer today is.
sued orders to the district attorney
at Atlantic City to investigate al
cases of violations of prohibition law:
and cause the arrest of violators. The
attorney general took cognizance Of
newspaper reports from the big resor
saying that saloons and hotel barr
- ,f 1rit, . l., =
been published that the district at
torney had announced that he wouIc
pay no attention to the violation unit
he had specific instructions from TIL,
department of justice and It was OIL
this account the selling was going on
Test Cases Proifisei.
The matter was called to ATTORNEY
General Palmer's attention s:iortly be
fore and he Immediately caused tele
graphic instructions to be issued t
the district attorney. -es........ IS.
The attorney general said It was hi
intention to have test cases brought il
every state where liquor Esfsold, o.
where 2.75 per cent beer end ligh
wines are sold, and then await the de
cisions of the courts, unless congress
should act shortly in the matter OF {
wartime enforcement bill Mr.. Pal
mer repeated that dealers selling al
most-beer are doing so at their owl
risk and that the department had n
means of granting amnesty or i'm
munity from prosecution Tor viola
tons.
Many people" said General Coun
sci Wheeler of the Anti-saloon league
think wartime prohibition cannot b
enforced unless a code is adopted. ]
is true the present power 20 enforc
the act is not adequate. but it is never
theless fairly effective. Liquor deal
ers who violate the war prohibition &C
will face not only the criminal; penalt
of war prohibition. but the penalt
under the liquor tax laws. The pen
atty for violating war prohibition
Imprisonment not exceeding zone yea
or a fine not exceeding $1,000. or botf
Section 1914 of the federal statute
authorizes all state officials and mag
istrates to make arrests for violation
of law. The United States district al
torneys are bound to prosecute all vic
lators of law. United States marshal
are authorized to command all neces
sary assistance in the execution {
their duties to enforce the law. TIL
attorney general may assign officer
of the department of justice to TAX
charge of the prosecution or cases.
Court decisions and statutes al
not holding out any encouragement
the liquor law violator. One FEEDER;
officer. backed BY the United State
government, will put 1000 bootlel
gers to flight In the meaniime pee
pie will be asking congress why the
have NOT oaSsad the law enforcement