Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-08-12

but these declarations must be read in the
light of the past records of these candi-
dates. Ii means nothing for candidate To
say that he, if elected will enforce the
law, for all candidates, If successful, must
take this declaration not merely on the
political platform, but by the most
solemn oath when invested with the duties
of an office. \ promise on any political
document is no stronger than an oath on
the assumption of the office.
Cox is admittedly wet in sentiment.
Hence no time need be wasted III analyzlng
his position If Congress should pass a
law Of more liberal Interpretation Of the
Eighteenth Amendment than the Vol
stead act, the wet forces of the country
could depend upon Cox from all we know
about him 10 give his seal OF approval
thereto.
Harding, on the other hand, has said
nothing to indicate that he would veto
such measure if passed by Congress.
He has only agreed to enforce the law as
it now stands, and he stated in his speech
Of acceptance that it is the right of free
people to make notifications. We cannot
tell from his record what he would do.
In Congress he has voted wet and he has
voted dry.
I'VE are told that the great task before
us this year is the election of dry Con-
gress and not the election of a President
This objection assumes that the President
has no legislative power. Such an assump-
ton is a very great error. The legislative
power of the President is legally equlva-
lent TO SIS members of Congress. The diff
ference between a bare majority required
to pass bin with the approval of the
President and two-thirds majority peces-
sary TO pass il over his veto, Is - in the
House and 16 in the Senate.
CoLvfN's ADDRESS.
After referring to the Prohibition party's
record of continuous loyalty 20 the Pro
hibition cause. to its progressive states
manship on issues other than Prohibition
and to the benefits which have been
achieved from partially enforced Pro-
hibition, DIR. Colvin stated that our work
was bv no means done We face the
greatest crisis in the history Of the Pro-
hibition movement The Prohibition
cause has won in the Constitution and the
law, but it has not vet won IN politics, and
politics is essential because II is through
the agency of politics that the govern
ment Is controlled.
Notwithstanding that we have Pro-
hibltion in the Constitution both political
party conventions have refused 10 assume
the responsibility for the maintenance Of
the Nolstead enforcement law, without
which the Constitutional Amendment is
lmpotent.
Their first step is to amend the Nolstead
act by so defining the term 'intoxIcatir
liquor as to Increase the alcoholic con-
tent. Notwithstanding this attempt hy
the liquor interests neither one Of the
old party candidates Is willing to commit
himself to the maintenance OF the standard
of the Nolstead act
The return Of beer and wine would
mean the alcoholization of masses OF
people with all that alcoholization implies.
1t would mean the inc,ease of the inmates
of jails, warehouses and charitable insti-
tutions which are now being depopulated.
1t would mean the return of the saloon
with all its attendant evils 1t would mean
the stronger liquors in addition to beer
and wine as il would be next 10 impossible
to control the liquor sellers. 1t would
mean further the continuance Of the liquor
traffic in politics with all its blighting
effects