The Delta independent. [volume] (Delta, Colo.) 1886-19??, 1922-12-29
HARDING STANDS FAST
FOR 18TH AMENDING EMIT

While few men may criticize the
President secretly no law-abiding
man will condemn him publicly for
his utterances on the subject of the
enforcement Of the prohibition laws.
President Harding has both fact and
reason in his support. y
There can be no question of the &C
curacy of the Presidents statement
when he said that "the day is unlikely
to come when the Eighteenth Amend
ment will be repealed" It requires
the votes of the legislatures Of three
fourths Of the several states to effect
q change in our Federal Constitution.
It required that preponderance of
support to secure the adoption Of the
prohibition amendment. It will re.
quire like proportion to effect its
repeal and no one will contend for
moment that three fourths of the
states will vote for its repeal. IN fact.
It is unlikely that any state that
voted for adoption of the amendment
would vote for its repeal, though
some might favor a modification of
the enforcement law.
The President also spoke wisely.
and will have widespread public ap-
proval in that portion of his address
in which he said:
"n the statutory provision for its
enforcement are contrary to deliber-
ate public opinion, which do not be-
lieve, rigorous and literal enforce.
ment will concentrate public atten-
ton on any requisite notifications.
Such course conforms with the law
and saves the humiliation Of the gov
eminent and the humiliation of our
public before the world, and challen-
ges the destructive forces engaged in
widespread violation, official corrup.
ton, and individual Decentralization"
II is evident from that quotation
that President Harding has not
changed his mind on the merits of
the question since he voted for the
enactment of the prohibition enforce
ment law. Neither does he believe
that public opinion throughout the
country has been materially modified
The probability is that all those peo-
pie who are clamoring against the
amendment and against the enforce
ment of the prohibition law were
against both OF them from the begin
ming. But, however that may be, the
President is clearly sound is declar-
ing that il any modification is requir,
ed the best way to secure it is by
rigorous enforcement OF the law.
The President truly says that con-
ditions in the enforcement of the pro-
hfbition law SAVIOR of a nationwide
scandal and his reference to "official
corruption" points to the reason why
violation is, as he asserts, "the most
demoralizing factor in our public
life" The bootleggers are undoubted-
ly conducting one Of the most pros
porous businesses in the United
States today. They could not con.
tinue to conduct such profitable
business. in plain defiance Of the law
and Of constituted Federal and State
authorities. unless they did so thru
the corruption Of public officials in
| the executive or judicial branch OF
the government.
est the proceedings Of the conference
of Governors which the President an
nounces he will call in the near fu-
ture in order to work out. II possible,
plan OF cooperation with view to
securing effective enforcement and a
higher degree of respect for laws en-
acted by the government and for Of
ficials charged with the law admins.
tration.