The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1919-03-14

way or another; that the peoples YER
dict is to be nullilied and set aside
that great lawyers arc going to prosti-
tute their talents to defeat the people
will; that personal liberty is to be TAX
en- away; that legislatures are going
to disregard the sentiment of the poo
pie that this outlaw traffic may con-
tinue to reap its profits that labor pro-
poses to strike as a method of resist
ing this law; that our very system OF
government is being undermined; that
revolution is at hand; and that all we
hold dear is threatened by fanaticism
Former President Taft
What good purpose can the Wash
ington Post and these other papers
hope to serve by giving publicity to
these things. They may be doing il
Internationally, but they are lending
their columns to the propagation OF
un-Americanism. What should these
papers do? What should every real
American do? Get behind the law
and this amendment and its effective
enforcement until repealed. That is
the essence of genuine Americanism
That is the attitude of Mr.. Taft, who
opposed the Prohibition amendment
and who now says that the legal OBJ
Ijections made to it arc pure moon
shine" and that it is the duty of ev-
cry patriotic citizen to uphold and see
to its enforcement. He says:
This is a democratic government,
and the voice OF the people, expressed
through the machinery provided by
the constitution for its expression and
by constitutional majorities, is SUI
preme. Every loyal citizen must
obey. This is the fundamental prin-
cple of free government. 1t is the
principle which the Bolshevike are
fighting with wholesale assassinations
and starvation OF their fellow citizens.
One who, in the matter of National
Prohibition, holds his personal opin-
ion and his claim of personal liberty
to be of higher sanction than this
overwhelming constitutional express
sion of the people, is disciple of Boil
shevism. Those who oppose passage
of practical measures to enforce the
amendment. which itself declares the
law and gives to Congress the power
and duty to enforce it, promote the
reinforcement of this law and the
consequent Decentralization OF all law.
This was the evil result opponents
OF the amendment prophesied, and
they are thus doing all they can TO
vindicate their view. Such a course is
unpatriotic and is not playing the
game Of government fairly"
Duty of Federation of Labor
These are the words of a patriotic
and genuine American. This is the
spirit that should animate every
American and control every loyal
publication What splendid influence
and example of Americansm would it
be if every interview given out. and
the editorial page OF every newspaper
in the land, would urge the full and
complete enforcement OF the law
These self-proclaimed, extra-loyal
newspapers gave special notice few
days ago to an alleged labor move
ment against the enforcement of the
Wartime Prohibition and the consti-
tutional amendment. They point out
that campaign is begun under the
slogan mo Beer. No Work" of the
bone dry Prohibition law is really en-
forced on July l." This movement, ii
is said, is being engineered by Ernest
Bohm. There may be no significance
in the name. but / have no doubt that
the influences behind him are the in
terests that were behind the German
American Alliance. Then it is stated
that one Emanuel Kavaliski is to be in
charge OF spreading the movement TO
other cities and other states. Is any
comment necessary in view of the
seditious propagandists at work in
this country? This is the same ele-
ment that sought revolution in Seattle
1t is the same element that was allied
with the German-American Alliance.
1t should receive and | believe will re-
ceive the condemnation of every real