Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-01-19
MOVE
OVER 100 YEARS OLD
1t Began With Sentiment tor
Moderate Use of Liquor
in 1908.

After III years of battling in the face
of tremendous odds, linitless funds ana
against LIQUOR politicians. national pro
hibition. the dream of century, has
come 10 be reality-a victory for men
and women who have fought and fought
10 reclaim nation fast sinking in sea
nf alcohol Last Saturday morning when
the minute hands OF America 5 clocks
crossed over the divide from Friday into
SATURDAY. there began n new era in the
history of the nation-a dry era, an era
purgcd of drink
Prohibition. with the long uphill fight
10 win IT, has not been a product Of ma
tionaI hySteria; neither Is it . sudden
growth OF warm emotionallSn II has
not been "put over bv legislative bodies,
but IN orderly stages II has developed aS
popular conviction spread among the
masses the conviction tha. dry is
nigh, and wet Is wrong
Beginning with deInnnd for moderate
use. of liquor in 1898. the movement
gained momentum until finally there
came the first great victory, when Maine
in 1851 lcgslated for prohibition. The
action was ratified in 1881 Delaware was
dry hl legislative inactmcnt from 1885
~ 1877 and has been partially dry for
the past 10 wears. Kansas followed Dcla-
ware DRY laws were made there IN 1850,
and North Dakota fell in line niue wears
later.
ONLY thirteen years ago the modern
wave Of state prohibition hogan 10 sweep
across the country With Georgia in the
lead, until today thirty-threc statcs have
approved prohibition IS 3 state policy
Of these thirty-thrcc states twenty-onc
adopted prohibition by popular vote.
In other states prohibition was originally
adopted by the legislature and later AT-
proved by overwhelming majoritics, and IN
other states where the original maio;i itv
WIS small, subsequent election picd IN
the straws that broke the back Of the
camel ol the "wctS
For years the congress Of tho nation
sat and watched with interest these moves
ri the individual states and finally on
March |. 1918, came tho enactment of the
Nebb-l\cnyon law preventing the ship
meut Of liquor into states which desrcd to
prohibit lnportations II was the first na-
tional act and the stepping stone to
the eighteenth constitutional amend
Inont which became effective at mid
night last night. backed by an enforce
mont bill which legislators agreo has
kick ike a mule.
Those important acts Of Congress
pertaining u prohibition since the first |
measure III 1918, were.
March ], l9l5-Tho Wobh-kenyon
law.
February "A, Iel7-MaslSa prohibition |
act
March 2, Ioi7-Porto Rico prohibition
referendum
March ;. l917-District Of Columbia
prohibition act.
March 5. laI7-Reed and Jones
Randall amendments 10 the paSfofica
appropriation bill
March 3 19l7-Increasing military
establishment act.
August 10, l917-Food control act
December IS, l9i7-Submission of
prohibition amendment to the consti-
tuition Of the United States.
May 23, 1918 Hawaii prohibition act
September 23, l9IS-War prohibition
act
November q, a-Prohihitlon en-
foTcement act,
Just year ago last FRIDAY Congress
ratified the article proposed IS an amend
one year. The vote IN the house az rcp-
resentativcs was PSI To lbs, and III the
senate 65 10 70.
CongrosSmon approving the submis-
sion Of the amendment represented not
only q majority oi the states. but an over
Whelming majority OF the population Of
the country rs we'll Il received the solid
vote OF the representatives Of twenty
four states. II had majority in twelve
from other states. four Of
which gave only one adverse vote each.
Of four Other states were
evenly divided Submitted to the states.
the amendment was finally ratified by
forty-fvc OF the fortycight state lcgisla-
tUrcs.
War prohibition. which gave the na-
tion IFS first taste Of national prohibition,
passed the house III 10 81, having pro
v1ouslY been passed by the senate without
a division The act became effective
January J. On November y the act 20
provide means for enforcing both the war
time and constitutional prohibition was
passed over the veto Of President Wilson /
Aud now comes the orCanlzatJon for
the enforcement Of prohibition. The en-
iOrcement Is 10 The hands 81 tho depart
Inent 81 internal revenue, Of which Daniel
e. Roper x. commissioner. R0uer appoint
"a John + Kramer. Of OHIO, Is federal
prohibition commissioner 10 enforce the
laws.
The country Is divided INTO ten dis
tTicts 10 simplify he work u tho depart
rnent, each o. which viii bc IN charge of 3
federal agent, while each state viii ba1c !
federal director and numerous inspectors
The states have concurrent powers or
with the federal government
and It Is predicted he United states viii
pe sealed tight within six months in sr]te
1f the continued battling of tho ICflor
men.
Leo 4. Crossen Is IN charge of The
work In Pennsy lvania. Del
ware and New Jersey Tins state i under