Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-08-08
ENFORCE LAWS,
SAYS FUTILE
For More Reasonable Booze
ReguIations-Takes Slam
at Judge Silzer.

TRENTON, Aug. s.-There must
be no "pussyfooting' on the wet
and dry issue, declared State
Banking and Insurance Commits
sioner William Z. futile, Jr., OF
Westfeld, candidate for the Demo-
cratic nomination for governor. com
menting today on the recent state
ment of his rival, Circuit Court
Judge George S. Silzer. of Middle
sex county. The banking commits
sioner plainly infers that the posi-
ton taken by Silzer is an encourage
ment to the "bootlegger" and says
the Democratic party should be rid
of suspicion that it has any alliance
with this element.
1.-THE situation calls for something
more than the mere expression that
candidates for office are for or
against existing co%nditions;" says
Mr.. futile, cit calls for constructive
and thoughtful leadership" Con-
tinuing, he declares that he will en-
force all laws as long as they are oil
the books, but makes it plain that
this does not prevent him from de-
voting his energies for a change to
more reasonable regulations. The
following is the text of Commission
err Tuttle's statement of today:
Judge Silzer's announcement is
merely an expression of his views
and he offers nothing concrete as a
remedy. He evidently refuses to lead
in a change which is bound to come
candidates for office for pussy
FOOT on this issue will not be able to
fool the people. The big b~ootlegger
does not traffic in light wines and
beer. Therefore, he can be depend
ed upon to support those who favor
such a program. With the bootleg
ger still with us graft, deceit and
perjury and all their accompanying
evils will continue to thrive. Our
party is already the victim of sus-
picion as to an alliance with this
bootlegging element.
at shall, of course, enforce all
laws, even state enforcement acts
as long as they remain in existence
and no one who knows me would
suggest anything to the contrary.
At the same time / shall use my
powers and influence for a change
in the Volstead act, and in the eigh-
teenth amendment and for the re-
peal Of the state enforcement acts.
have no doubt as to the ultimate
result. The American people are
too practical to p%erpetuate the pres
ent conditions.
"Strict prohibition can never be
enforced because people, otherwise
law-abiding, do not regard the pur-
chase, possession and use of st1mu-
lants as wrongful.
"In this state the issue is perfect
w clear, In my opinion the great
majority of the people do not be-
lieve that this question has beer
settled right. The situation calls fol
something more than the mere ex-
preston that candidates for office
are for or against existing condi.
tions; it calls for constructive and
thoughtful leadership.
"Agitation, study and investigation
have worked out many vital PROB
lens for the people of this country
The banking and currency systems
with their complicated and techni
| cal qualifications and with their i'm
mense possibilities for injustice
were not worked out by n wise
man. They were studied and inves'
tigated and thought over and per
fected.
"The present condition is impossi-
BILE There must be some way out
Of it. 1t would be my purpose to be
more than just a me too l WoulC
enGeavor, so far as my ability per
mitted, to represent the views OF
the majority of the people of this
state by taking a leadership tina
would bring definiteness to a move.
ment to restore the liberty and
rights of the people of the country.
Let me quote the present Chief
Justice of the United States Supreme
Court: In cases where the sale Of
liquor cannot be prohibited in fact
it is far better to regulate and dlmin-
ish the evil than to attempt to
stamp it out by the enactment OF a
drastic law and the failure to en-
force it. There is injected into the
public. mind the idea that laws are
to be observed or violated accord
ing to the will of those affected.
Another member of the United
States Supreme Court. Justice Clark
takes this view: The Eighteenth
Amendment required millions of
mer. and m to abruptly give
up habits and customs of life which
they thought not immoral or wrong
but which, on the contrary, they be-
lieved to be necessary to their rea-
sonable comfort and happiness and
thereby, as We all see, respect hot
only for that law, but for all law,
has been put to an Unprecedented
and demoralizing strain in u coun-
try. the end of which it is difficult
to see.'"