Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-03-17
DEFYING THE CONSTITUTION

When any organization is formed for the purpose of making a
certain part of the Constitution of the United States imperative a
deliberate attempt IS made to destroy the very foundation upon which
this nation was built. 1t stands to reason that if one set of men can
organize to destroy one section of the constitution, another set of men
may organize TO destroy another section. And when different sec
tons of the constitution r either destroyed or made imperative the
whole constitution becomes "A useless crap of paper.
We wonder if the men who are behind the socaled Association
Opposed to National Prohibition, many of them men of high business
standing, fully realize what their movement will lead to if carried out,
10 its logical conclusion. According to a statement issued from the
national headquarters of this association the prime object of the As.
ISOLATION Opposed to National Prohibition will be "by every legal,
honorable and reputable means to make forever imperative the eight
eenth amendment to the constitution or any similar amendment which
attempts to abridge or obiterate the rights of free men in a free re-
public"
How a amy n legally make imperative the constitution
The constitution is the very foundation all law and if it is made
imperative the laws based upon it also become imperative and then
we have anarchy
This argument about the rights of free men and personal liberty
is being over done by the opponents to prohibition. Every law enact
ed is a restriction ON personal liberty. There is no-such thing as per-
sonal liberty in the strictest sense. Every one has to give up certain
personal liberties for the benefit of society a a whole. No man is priv
iIeged to burn his house down even though it does belong to him No
man IS permitted to torture his dog even. When society as a whole is
affected there is no such thing as personal liberty.
The fact that the drinking of alcoholic liquors causes men to en-
danger the lives and property of others makes the sale of such liquors
something that concerns society. When a man, innamed with liquor
goes forth and commits murder, when a drunken chauffeur runs amuck
and kills someone with his automobile; when an intoxicated father
goes home and beats his wife and drives his children out of DOORS
breaks the furniture and possibly sets the house on fire, it S a mat
ter that concerns society a a whole and no plea of personal liberty
can excuse such things.
~ argue ina IioAioAlon h> AoiNcu hltu tt NAHUM Dg Il mn-
ority is ridiculous n the face of the facts The amendment passed both
houses of congress by a twothirds vote. 1t could not have done that
If it had not had popular support, for congressman are not in the
habit Of defying the will Of the people when strongly expressed.
Upon passing congress, the amendment was ratified by the legiS
latures of forty-fye out of forty-eght states. The members of state
legislatures are not in the habit of defying strong public opinion. If
they did not feel that the people a a whole were back of then they
would never have acted favorably on such a matter.
The man or the body of men who openly advocates defiance of
the constitution is attempting to destroy the government Of the
United States. This Is . = ~ serious matter particularly at this
time when governing the world are tottering.