Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-12-21

There was more to the decision of the
Supreme Court of the United States that war
time prohibition only be terminated by
presidential proclamation to the effect that peace
has been re-esta blished and rehabilitation
completed than struck the eye of the casual
reader. to whom the salient and dolorous fact
that the holidays were to be but prelude to
the long drought, all sufficient in its final
ity. His moist and happy dream shattered by
the headlines. he hadn't the heart to read the
unanimous decision of the highest court in the
United States. Sufficient unto him the bitter
of that hour without delving deeper into
the pronunciamento which blighted all but the
shadowy hope that somehow peace might be
proclaimed before national prohibition shall lay
it's hand upon joyous and unsuspecting
land.
The decision, for which the thirsty of the
nation had waited long in prayerful attitudes.
was bruising in its fnaty. 1t pronounced
that the time prohibition legislation
entirely constitutional 1t denied that the point
of time indicated by the provision until the
conclusion of the present war and thereafter
until the termination of demobiliza ton had yet
been reached. And it cost all concerned the
estimated sum of $1,000, OOo. 900 all told But it
went further than this.
Perhaps by premeditati on perhaps by in
direction, it disposed of certain of the moot
questions of the day in connection with the
fight over the peace treaty. 1t affirmed such
points as that "a treaty is only proposal
til it is approved by the Senate that the date
of the conclusion of the present war" shall be
concluded and proclaimed by the President of
the United States and that only by such
proclama ton could the serious consequences
attending uncertainty be obviated.' In other
words. it held that there be peace, as
far as the United States is concerned, till the
Senate approves treaty and the President
approves the form of it's approval with the
consent of the foreign powers concerned, and
proclaims peace Senators Lodge and Knox
with their plausible proposals merely to have
the Congress proclaim peace to accept the
treaty without the league, thus knocked
for goal. The Supreme Court says in effect
that the only way for the United States to get
peace within anything approximating
able time is to have the Senate approve the
treaty now in their hands without amendments
or reservations which might vitiate it in the
eyes of those who drew it. 1t comedies the
President the last word. The decision of the
court is undoubtedly playing no unimportant
part in the signs of awakening in the north
wing of the Capitol.
We have witnessed two come backs during
the past week. The first was that of William
j. Bryan into the political arena, where, off and
on for number of years, he has held forth
Mr. Bryan has staged his return with the skill
which might be expected of him. He has come
gracefully and yet with a momentum which
was not to be denied. Recognizing the need for
modern Moses in the senatorial wilderness
he volunteers to fill the bill. Mr. Bryan never
lacking in political acumen has not been slow
to glimpse the existing opportunity for i'm
measurable prestige open to the individual who
furnishes the basis for compromise of the
existing deadlock. He undoubtedly covets that
prestige both for himself and for the party in
which he still ranks most prominent figure
Yet equally undoubtedly he is motfvated by
desire with no strings attached; desire to see
this nation and the world restored at an early
date to the peace footing which may enable it
to repair the direct and the indirect ravages
OF war. His opportunities for success are GER
tain1y no less than those of any other. and in
many respects they are greater. For he comes
as new element, against which exists none of
the antagonisms incident to months of bitter
and unproductive wranglng. There is no man
who will not wish him luck in the primary
object of his return to the spotlight
And then there is Pancho Villa For some
time back it has been matter of opinion
whether this most advertised chieftain of Mexi-
can banditry was still in the land of the living
Long since reported dead of gangrened
wound, his name has continued to appear in
print from time to time still hale and
truculent, dicing with fate genial grin be-
meath his mustachios. Nobody knew, and that
was the fact
Today the question as to whether he should
be properly classified as a border myth or a
reality seems to have been definitely settled
For Villa has come back. He came after the
Old fashion. swift and confident. took what he
wished and retreated to his hills Among the
trophies collected at Muzquiz there happened
to be an American rancher, by name Frederick
u. HUGO This gentleman. well vouched for in
the section where he functioned as manager of
the j. M. Dobie ranch, claims to have seen
touched and talked with Pancho himself