Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-10-22

throw prohibition. aud their methods
are neither open nor honest. Tho al :
v"chtcS Of prohibition boldly stated
their purpose and carried ON their
propaganda They worked patiently
for nearly half u century before they
secured the constitutional amend
mcnt which they sought. and ali this
tim. they had to endure tn" evils
uf tn" saloon. The vets do not cx
pee, To repeal ,ac prohibition amend
mcnt: they know that II is in tho
Constitution Ia stay With thirty
three States dry. and with no Thought
OF r"inStaiinE saloons, what chance
is there for the vets to secure two
thirds of both houses and three
f"urths OF the StatcS-as they must
before they can repeal the eighteenth
amendment?
The vets know also that they
could not secure by statute the manu-
f""turc or sale of Intoxicating brv
"raHcs. even though they obtained
control Of both the Scnat" and lin"
House. The Judges Of the Suprcm.
court are bound by their oath Of
Office [" nudity amy law that at
tcmpts To lcEallzc the manufacture
or sale OF amy beverage containing
a sufficient amount of alcohol to
max" II Intoxicating. The only in
crease that the Supreme Court could
possibly sanction would b. an in
crease from one-half OF l per cent,
10 Il percentage Il little bit higher.
but nor high enough to make the
beverage intoxicating. This would
not be satisfactory to those who are
subordinating all other questions 10
a modification of the Nolstcad law
IT they cannot get enough alcohol
To make them drunk. why do they
want any more than they can get
now?
Trying tn Defeat Enforcement.
THOSE who are advocating light
wine and beer either deceive them
selves or they ara attempting. to
deceive others. II they think that
the supreme Cour, would permit the
ma nufacturc and sale OF the kind of
wine and beer they advocate. they are
themselves deceived; without know
ing what the law Is. they are trying
TO deceive others. The more intel
ligent OF them know perfectly well
that they can neither repeal the
eighteenth amendment nor secure the
manufacture and sale Of intoxicating
beverages: the only thing that they
can really have in vicw is the Sc
curing Of majority in one House
+" as TO be able to defeat appropria-
tons for enforcement. Laws do not
enforce themselves: they are en-
forced through officials and officials
must be paid. II appropriations for
the enforcement of the law were cut
on. we would have an era OF law
lcssncss. during which the amend
mont Will he in operation and tn.
prohibition law on the statute books
but uncnforcci This would Simply
mean the turning over of the govern
m"ui 10 the liquor traffic, excepting
III states whcr" State laws are en-
forced The N"!stead law can be
nuliihcd by tn. cutting OF of APP
preparations as cifcctually as il can
ben nulliiicd hy repeal.
Such an era OF lawlcssncss would
not only Invite dsrespcct for all
laws. but IL would make the liquor
question the paramount Issue and
suspend all other reforms until the
country again settled the question OF
prohibition. :is IT has decided il sew
craI times before.
The Need for Vigilance.
II the friends OF the eighteenth
amendment Will he only half as Wig
liant ard rs active as the enemies Of
that amendment. tho result Viii not
he in doubt, but experience shows
that those who think in the throat