El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-02-21

7STUTFPS and others selling liquor not quite con-
u WINGED that the American people want natl0aHlae PIC
ttor They are quite convinced that they themselves
a. not want IT, for obvious reasons 50 they are MAKING
sttaud fght against it. They want TO disregard the
ratification Of the prohibition amendment by majority
81 the state legislatures and to refer prohibition 10 vote
o. the people ,--.. -, -
--seting recently New York and outlined camDalgn
ssve5 20 impress upon president Wilson the inadTisa-
tfv 81 placing II effect the wartime prohibition measure
on Tuv This is not the same as the national pro
-itor Amendment Il vas congressional measure,
drafted al when It appeared that the United States
vas embarking a long war- The league claims tins
MEASURE was framed meet crisis that longer exists
and that should be set aside Their purpose IS 10 get
little ougst life nationwide prohibition under
nc c0usuous amendment being due TO become effective
Turning from wartime prohibition to permanent pro
hon under the amendment, the league decided TO take
Up national campaign against It The league expects
10 bring ont the real sentiment Of the people Of the
nv regarding prohibition and to set before the president
the fart thar national prohibition IS really the desire OF
The league claims to be composed Of leading members
the hotel real estate banking and restaurant businesses
Aligned with It Is the National Association Of DistleTs
AID wholesale Liquor Dealers which has made an an
that IL VII campaign for referendum elections
u states including New Mexico, the federal pToh
hton act Leading dsters state they believe that at
least 70 Of these a states viii reject the amendment thus
defeating national prohibition
Ratification BY IS states was necessary to put the
amendment into effect. If - states reject proh
bitten, only IS would be left approving it. less than the
required number The disters counting popular
have ratified the amendment Both Nebraska, the 35th
state TO rzy, and New Mexico, whose legislature acted
Immediately after that Of Nebraska be asked to
reject the amendment Since the dsters evidently
pec C the u states IN the event Of referendum
uphold the amendment one wonders If that state IS New
Mexico the distilers expect their campaign fail
that state, they are making good guess
There is prospect whatever Of national referendum
prohibition, Of referendum IN the "A states II
which il sought The amendment has been passed upon
n the way the constitution provides by the legislatures
and majority Of them have ratified It. That is the way
which such matters intended handled the
approved procedure has been adhered IN this instance
There is nothing further do about It.
i would have been we'll perhaps better If national
prohibition could have been decided upon for OF against
y popular election That would have shown the desire Of
every voter beyond dispute and there could have been
contention tzat prohibition adopted against the wishes
Of the majority The liquor interests have claim
impossible Of complete contradiction that the legislatures
were not n instances representative Of the senti
uts Of majority Of their constituents when the former
voted 20 ratIfy the prohibition amendment
But there national referendum The legislative
ratieaon vas the approved method and this no time
20 attempt 70 middle the situation BY opening I'D new
light President wilson to whom both organizations above
mentioned appealing doubtless viii see K in that
light Iuasmuch II would take considerable time to
hold referendum elections IN a states It hooks as though
the liquor interests playing primarily to overthrow