The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1922-12-12
F0VERNOR SAYS STATE
'1RYLAWS TOO DRASTIC Q.
gIlI I'" Dr
.nnwIcK THINKS CERTAIN
nrATUREs OF STATUTES
CAN'T BE EFFECTIVE.
,or IMpARTIALLY ENFORCED

5 S Alike. Federal Prohibition
Commissioner r Says State Has Very
rvcellent Set of Dry Laws.
Att ANITA, Ga.-Some features OF
Georgia prohibition law are un-
4 Y...s,riIy and unreasonably drastic
con never be enforced, notably
oroyision of the law which makes
crime to have in ones possession
a quantity of whisky, declared Gov
- Hardwick in an address at a
E..beon given to Roy A. Haynes,
1s-,1 prohibition commissioner OF
limited States, who is here on an
F,i,1 tour of the country.
4 Fred B. Dismukes, federal prohlbi-
enforcement director for Georgia,
hast OF the occasion. Enforcement
..,s Of Georgia, Florida and Ten
,sse we're in attendance.
T yss Governors outspoken express
/ On the prohibition laws caused a
u, deal of comment after his de-
DI ir IS exceedingly difficult" said the
krernor, to enforce any law that
o;,s tbr personal liberty of the Amer
nv citizen | have always held, how
ar that the only principle for an
w. ~ the law TO follow is
If of enforcing the law to the letter
long as it remains on the statute
oks whether he believes in the law
mt II the people generally do not
;rye in it they will finally repeal 1t
6rough their representatives.
Il do not believe the open saloon
hi ever return. But whether the Vol
bad act will remain of force in its
Resent provisions is entirely differ
,Georcias prohibition laws are
srrb stricter than the federal prohlbi-
h laws. | realize fully the storm OF
kotest I will bring upon myself with
IN next statement, but | must say
at personally, | believe we have
bne too lar. ,...
ws now on the statute books OF
eorgia or at least certain features
II those laws. can ever be enforced
hpartiallv and equally among the
Hi and low, the rich and the poor,
ia no law should ever be enforced
.fherwise.
THE law which makes it crime
have whisky in ones possession IS
Senlv and generally violated. | can
&dy believe that a great many OF our
|Sghly respectable and otherwise law
hiding citizens are violating this par
kular provision of the law all the
.ne.
HIT ought not to be crime to have
In quantity. not matter how small,
81 ones possession. 1t ought to be a
inc to have in ones possession such
amount as to show upon its face an
#ention to traffic in whisky. | do not
Ifetcnd to say whether the limit tor
.5rSonal use should be a quart, a gal
a or five gallons.
IN do not believe we will ever have
#Oper enforcement upon all classes
hpartally until this and other teat-
sFes OF the law are modified. "
Haynes for Stern Enforcement.
Commissioner Haynes, who is tour
81 the south for the purpose OF bring
"a about closer cooperation between
Die and federal prohibition forces, to
end that the law may be more
#ictly enforced, in his remarks reterr-
to the governors position in the
q lowing words:
IN have been much interested IN
1ur governors statement that he be-
EeS the present Georgia laws should
q modified to legalize the possession
Il a specified quantity OF whisky. l
not care to discuss that question,
#er than to state that | believe you
Fe very excellent set OF statutes
q this state. We have nothing to dc
III legislation. | am not preaching
Aphibition | am preaching the con-
#tuhOn OF the United States. | am
II here to argue for or against the
pmbition law. In the enforcement OF
n law there should be no sect or
ID or partisan politics. We should
Horce because it is the law and be-
#lSe We are the officers of the law,
&Nhile on his visit to Georgia Com
"ssioner Haynes said the cure tor
Rblcms in the south lies i'll sterner
snaIties, sitter fines, jail and penl-
ahary sentences for high as well as
n and the closing of places where
Rlatons OF the prohibition law per
&tS.
Il The government has just started
q tight he said. THE department
r justice has entered now and the
a to the end is on"