The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-05-17
Vice President Again
Declares Prohibition
Would Have Lost IT,
By DAVID LAwRENCH
tCopyrtEhe BY The Intelllgsnoer.)

WASHINGTON. May lt-Tice-
President Thomas T. Marshall has pre-
sided over tho Senate cr the United
fnre be expected To know whereof he
speaks when ne says that If prohs h!tion
had teen submitted 70 secret vote. 4
would not have gotten twenty votes in
the Senate.
The writer asked the Vice President
20 amplify his statement which was or
iEinllly made before the Virginia Bar
Association.
Il want il 10 10 understood at the
outset" said the Vice President, that
| believe in tho enforcement Of the con-
stitutional amendment on prohibition.
II is here and is the law and should
10 enforced. But I believe that II the
amendment had vcen voted upon accord
ing 10 the individual convictions or
members ot the Senate il would not
have gotten twenty votes.
Now I am not imputing motives to
any body. I have never seen any repre-
sentatives Of the brewers or the Anti
Saloon League around Congress and
Wouldn't know them IL they were there.
believe that the men who voted for
prohibition and for woman suffrage. Tor
instance. thought tho people-a major
ity Of their constituents-wanted these
amendments passed. But that isn't my
theory Of representative government.
''As I told the lawyers at Richmond.
the people OF this country didn't intend
IN my Judgment that their representa-
lives should be guided by their consti-
tuents but that elected representatives
should act for them. don't think
when people hire lawyer that they
should ask him 10 do what they want.
Advice should not come from the client
20 the lawyer but from the lawyer 10
me client. II the client doesn't like
The advice. ne can get another lawyer
government. The people. in my opin-
!on should trust their represen natives
% act for them II they don't like
what their representatives do they can
select others and thus repudlate what
has been done"
Then II you have been member OF
the Senate. you would have voted
against the prohibition amendment
the vice president was asked.
"Oh yes was the reply-"and my
views have been well known Mind you.
do not use liquor. never serve II at
my table, and l would TO God that no
one else did. But object 10 the way
prohibition has been imposed. th0ush
again. I must insist now that II Is here
IL must be enforced.
"As a matter Of fact, Irrespective OF
the question Of personal habits. mem
hers OF the Senate whose views ABOUT
the police powers Of the several sta'es
coincide with my own surrendered thclr
cause they thought It was the wish OF
tho people CT their states. That lsn
leadership nor representative govern
mSnt in my conception OF the term.
Indeed. lawyers like statesmen are
,cxinr their influence because they are
not telling their clients what is the
law and what should be done. Ins'eau
LAWYERS nowadays are listening 10
boards OF directors and trying to &C
complish what those boards want done
often against the best Judgment OF
tho lawyers themselves.
Tho Vice President was endorsed pS
,be Virginia Bar Association Tor the
prestdency-a compliment Of the oe,
rasion. no doubt. for Mr.. MarshaIl ISM isn
y candidate. active. passive. recepIiSc
or even interested. Maybe ne W.