New-York tribune., 1920-01-21
Edwards Sworn
In; Launches
Fight on 'Drys'
Jersey Governor Declares
People Have Repudiated
Prohibition and Asks for
Aid to Block Enforcement
Doubts Dry Act Validity
Asserts He Has Legal Advice
That Amendment Has M,
Been Properly Ratified
Special Co,-.snorS..,.

Special Correspondence
TRENTON, Jan. 20.-Until the Su-
preme Court Of the United States has
determined that the Eighteenth Amend
ment to the Constitution Of the United
states is valid. New Jersey should up-
nolo Its sovereign rights as a state,
sald Governor Edwards in his inaup-
ural address to-day. The Governor
also calls upon the LEGISLATURE to an
act legislation that will assure to the
people the right to live under condi-
'ions they themselves desire.
Governor Edwards promised in his
campaign that he would use the fulle st
power OF the state of New Jersey to
prevent the Eighteenth Amendment
regulating the conduct Of the people
OF this state, and this subject was the
principal one in his inaugural addess
The State Spoke Its Will
First and foremost is the matter
Of sumptuary Legislation enacted by
the Federal Congress. During the
campaign recently waged in this state
there was sQuarely presented the issue
whether the people Of New Jersey de-
sired to be understood as being in
favor Of surrendering to the Federal
I0KulALlnQ
the exercise of their personal liberties
squarely presented as that question
was, the people Of the state Just as
certainly answered it in the negative
AS l interpret the result Of the elec.
ton, the citizens Of New Jersey insist
upon reserving to themselves the right
TO say how they shall live, and they
believe that measures regulating their
mode Of life have no place in the
organic law of the nation
During the campaign I made definite
pledges to what would endeavor to
accomplish If elected Governor One
was that would do every lawful thing
to have it determined that the present
prohibition had been illegally forced
upon the people Of this state. To that
~end now recommend that these thing,
be done:
"First-Section Of the so-calleG
Eighteenth Amendment is as follows
"'Section 2-The Congress and the
several states shall have concurrent
power to enforce this article by ap-
propriate legislation
while it Is not my purpose ito make
part of this message a brief on the
subject, it must nevertheless be under
stood that our theory of government
IS tNAt Lnc nation Is maze up OF states
to which are intrusted the powers o.
local government. To those states ant
10 the people the powers not expressl,
delegated to the national government
are reserved. The power of the states
to regulate their purely internal af
fairs by such laws as seem wise to tn,
local authorities is inherent and ha
never been surrendered to the nationa
government. I might point out to 70,
that the language of the so-callee
Eighteenth Amendment is unique il
this respect. viz: that there is reserve,
to the several states concurrent powe
to legislate upon the enforcement
thereof. For the first time in our his
tory such language makes its appear
ance in the Federal Constitution. 1t
presence there Is not the result Of &C
cident or idle thought. but rather i
indicative, if the amendment was rati
fed at ALL of the intention on the par
of the several states to require thei
concurrence, at least as to intrastat
comm cree, in any proposed Federalleg
islation concerning intoxicating bev
erages. In that view l am supporte,
by the opinion of counsel
There are some, however, who hol
that under the reserved concurren
power action by Congress to enforc
the amendment would, in the absenc
of contrarv statutory declaration o.