The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1922-12-14
ENFORCEMENT Of
PR0H| LAWS ONE
POINT DISCUSSED
Governors Meet Takes Up Many
Subjects In First Day Of Session;
Form Basis for Conference
With President.
SOME OBJECT TO MEET
WITH FEDERAL CHIEFS
Say Gives Chance to Pass Buck to
States; Not Willing TO Advance
Dope as Proposed for Ses-
sions In Washington.
by LAWRENCE MARTIN


Omitted Press staff Correspondent. J
White Sulphur Springs, w. Va.
Dec. ii.-lmmedlate action on prohl-
billion enforcement was proposed by
Governor Parker, Louisiana, as gov.
ernors Of states gathered here to-
day for three-day conference.
Anticipating a proposed parley In
January, when President Harding will
discuss with them the question of
enforcement. many governors backed
Parker In his stand that the ques-
tion might as well be brought up at
once. A definite program, as a re-
suit. may be drawn up and submitted
TO Mr.. Harding.
Many governors were critical of
the presidents plan for a meeting OF
heads OF states with federal execu-
tives on the question of prohibition.
processing to see an attempt to
pass the buck" as one expressed II.
'lf the president calls confer
ence to pass this federal baby over
to the states and ask them to care
for IL, the states win most likely lay
the baby back on his doorstep" one
governor declared.
The governors were unwilling IN
advance of conferences with their
associates to state their individual
Views for publication. but there was
a strong current of resentment
among them.
There was considerable disagree
ment among those who had arrived
this morning as to what course
should be pursued, and this may
lead to warm discussion in the con
ference. Governor Parker, Louisiana,
favored taking up the subject at
once and agreeing on u definite pro-
gram to be submitted to Harding,
without waiting for the proposed
January conference.
Declaring prohibition as at present
farce, Parker has
a concrete program, the
main points Of which are understood
to be:
1. Amendment of the Volstead act
to permit beer and light wines.
2. Imposition of heavy penitentlary
sentences on persons who violate
the eighteenth amendment or the
Volstead law with respect to hard
liquor.
He is of the opinion that the
present syste moi filming bootleggers
and others arrested for prohibition
violation is futile, that public senti-
ment does not support prohibition
as now administered,
and that the states should not wait
until January, when many governors
will be occupied with sessions of
their legislatures, to formulate their
of cooperation with the fed
eral government.
In addition to injecting the prohi-
bition question, Governor Parker con-
ferred with Governor Henry j. Allen
of Kansas Governor Olcott Of Ore
gon and Governor Hyde of Missouri
on the activities of the Ku Klux
Klan. He wants law requiring
all members Of secret orders to be
registered with the department OF
Justice and another to prohibit mask
ing by members of any organization.
Parker, whose fight against the
Klan in Louisiana has gained him
notice in the past few
weeks, also discussed with his col
leagues the practicabiIity of prosecut.
ing officials Of the Klan for acts
by members. He cited
the recent Coronado case decision by
the United States supreme court to
support his contention that Klan Of
ficials might be held responsible for
the actions of members, even though
the officials took no direct part in
those activities. In that decision the
court held that officials Of labor
unions were responsible for acts of
individual members. Parker said he
did not know whether the decision
would apply to organizations like the
Klan, but wanted the question con-
sidered.
In addition to discussing the Klan
and prohibition the governors may
ask President Harding to help in a
fight on the so-called cement trust
through the elastic provisions Of. the
new tariff law. Governor McCray,
Indiana, is leading this movement,
and will suggest as one means Of
reducing prices of cement to states
desiring it for road building that
Harding take off the duty temporar-
lily, under his authority conferred
by tariff law, or that he. let the
states import cement duty free.