, 1920-03-11

prohibition but because he sought to
defend the ancient American liberty.
In the New York legislature a bill
was introduced to legalize beverages
containing 6 per cent alcohol, and a
resolution was adopted providing for
IN investigation of the A~nti-SaloOn
league by the judiciary committee.
License was the issue in elections in
Massachusetts and Vermont, and In
both states many towns hat had been
dry for years voted wet.
On Thursday New Jersey came to
bat again with a suit filed for the state
by its attorney general in the United
States Supreme court. attacking the
constitutionality of the prohibition
amendment on the ground that 1t was
improperly drawn, that in 81 states
the legislatures have not ratified it as
provided for by their state constitu-
lions and that there Is nc power in
congress to propose a constitutional
amendment regulating the habits and
morals of the people.
Politics of course is entering into
the prohibition fight. The wet Demo-
Gratis of Illinois already nave launched
the presidential boom of Governor Ed
wards of New Jersey and have filed
the necessary petition that puts his
name on the April 8 direct primary
ballot. The real leaders of the party
in that state, however, say this move
ment will not amount to much and
that the delegates to San Francisco
probably will not be instructed.
The New York state Democratic con
vention adopted resolutions condemn
ing prohibition by constitutional
amendment and calling for the restora-
ton of states rights.
BY the close vote of 4 to 3 the
United States Supreme court has
given legal sanction to the United
States Steel corporation, h biggest of
Industrial combinations. The majority
opinion dismissed the governments
suit for dissolution of the corporation
without prejudice" SO that the pro-
ceedings can be Reconstructed If the con-
cern does not behave in the future.
The opinion was based on the two
main points that the size of a orpora-
ton is not In itself a violation of the
antitrust laws, and that the Steel cor
poration has not exerted its admitted
great power to stifle competition, es-
pecially since 1911, when the suit was
Instituted. No precedent was found
in the tobacco and Standard Oil cases /;
but neither is it assured that this
latest decision will furnish a precedent
for decision of the suits against the
American Sugar Refining company
and other trusts that are pending in
the Supreme court.
Transfer of the railroads back to
private hands was accomplished
smoothly and so far nothing has hap
pened that would make the travelling
public aware Of the change. officials
Of some of the roads r hoping that
the interstate commission
will permit a considerable increase in
freight rates to take care of the evil
lent needs of the companies. so that
1t will not be necessary to ask for high
err passenger rates. The government
guarantee holds good until September
1, so there may be no boost in rates
for several months. The railway
brotherhoods wisely concluded to give
the new railway legislation a fair trial
before talking of strikes, though they
did not pretend hat they liked 1t at
all. President Wilson has asked the
rail executives and the brotherhood
leaders to pick their representatives
on a board that will at once begin
work on pending wage disputes.
tered largely on Russia and on the
peace offers made by the soviet gov
eminent. Sentiment in favor of COM
ing to an agreement with the Moscow
government seems to be growing
stronger, inc all the entente nations
have been given the tip that they may
trade with the Russian co-operatives,
whose chief representative has $780,
100000 in gold to pay for the things
Russia most needs. The race for this
trade is lively among the British and
some of the continental nations, in
Guiding Germany. The representatives
Of Finland, Latvia and Roumania, and
perhaps OF other countries, are in War
saw discussing peace conditions to be
submitted to the soviet. Lenine, while
apparently striving for international
peace, Is not letting up on his domestic
enemies and at latest reports had Gen.