The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1921-07-15

signed by the Governor and efectiV
years of fighting by the Anti Saloon
hibition laws. This new law was th'
OF Illinois and it will doubtless be Il
to the beverage liquor traffic.
Based on Constitutional Provision
The 18th Amendment to the Con-
stituton. in its second section pro-
vides that, "The Congress and the
several states shall have concurrent
power to enforce this article by ap-
propriate legislation" Accordingly
the legislature OF two years ago pass
cd a state enforcement law, effective
July 1st, 1919. J .ater the national
congress passed the national prohib-
ton act commonly called the Vol
stead Law. Then followed the period
during which both the national and
til e state enforcement laws were
tested III the courts. When the pres
ent legislature convened vari ou S
court decisions and almost two years
of experience with enforcement legis-
lation showed the necessity OF new
law.
League Prepares Bill
For seeing the need for new iegis-
lation the ANTI Saloon League made
Prohibition enforcement the issue in
the primary and election campaigns.
A bill was drawn UP by the League
harmonizing with the Nolstead Act
and the latest court decisions. 1t
contained provisions designed TO
make the effective enforcement OF
Prohibition under all circumstances
and in all places certain. The two
chief phases of the problem covered
by the bill we're the provisions estab-
fishing means and methods for the
punishment of violators and the pre-
vention OF violations OF the liquor
laws, and provisions establishing
regulations for the handling of in
eoxicating liquor for purposes per-
mitted under the law.
Vets Fight Bill
Although the speaker OF the House
was dry and there was apparently a
safely dry majority in both houses
the vets carried on a terrific CAM
paign against the bill. Veterans in
the legislature declare that the wet
organization made the most strenuous
efforts in the history of dry fights
in the legislature to defeat the bill.
Lee O'Neil Browne, Ferdinand Ga
resche, Thomas Curran, and many
others of the old wet machine with
shrewdness and determination set
out to prevent the bill from getting
the necessary majority of II i'll the
House. In addition to the old time
wets a number of new members
favorable to the wet side added their
influence against the bill Prominent
among these was John T. Hart, of
Batavia, Outside pressure against the
bill came from the liquor organiza-
ton, and from a new organization
purporting to represent the doctors
opf the state. Despite all opposition
however the bill passed second read
ing without amendment in the House
and finally was adopted by vote of
80 to 62, five more than the neces-
ary constitutional majority The
final effort by the vets to influence
the governor against signing the bill
failed and with his signature it be
came the law of Illinois on July lst
This ended the long and hard fight
to secure for Illinois an adequate
Prohibition law. 1t was the most in
elusive, fundamental and far reach
ing victory of the dry forces in the
history of the Prohibition movement
in Illinois.
Other Phases of the Fight
Two years ago the legislature gave
the attorney general an appropriation
for his use in connection with Prohi-
bition enforcement.
In the present session of the leg
islature two methods of enforcement
supervision under .the state law were
proposed. One OF these proposals
was for the creation OF state pro-
hibition commissioned. The other
proposal was that the attorney-gen-
eral be chief state supervising en-
'forcement officer. Both plans in