The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-08-22

WIItAu6 lCtsSS W AAACsAo AAs 100
BENJAMIN Franklin said OF the Con-
stitution that It gave promise Of
lasting, but he added the Qualtflca-
ton that sin this world nothing 10
certain but death and taxes" Were
the kite-flyfpg philosopher and
statesman alive today he might add
to this Qualification. For instance.
he might include industrial friction
and conflict in his list Of the par
+ennial and unacceptable things to
which human kind 10 heir.
Also, he might include prohibit,
,tion and the numerous ramifica-
lions and side issues of that sub
ject, for it appears that We are to
have the prohibition question al
ways with us. There were those
who thought 1t was settled when
the eighteenth amendment was
adopted and the volstead law was
enacted. Not SO! It hobs up every
where and all the time.
The vets are demonstrating that
they are lineal descendants Of the
original "die-hards". Just now they
are excited over a nationwide poll
or straw vote which to date has
indicated a substantial majority
sentiment favoring the repeal Of
the prohibitory amendment or soDde
modification Of the Volstead Law
and they are marshalling their
forces for further tests over the is
sue before the present session Of the
congress In permitted to adjourn
At the same time the question ID
being injected into primary contests
and will be much heard Of during
the campaign that will close with
the November elections.
/ Senator Reeds denomination in
Missouri brought much comfort to
the vets, for he is outspokenly on
their side Of the Questiou-one Of
the few men prominent in public
life who have had the courage OF
hardihood to take that standard
he was running against an avowed
dry candidate. On the other hand
the drys point out that there were
other issues involved In the Mis-.
souri, contest ard scout the idea that
any significance is to be attached
to the result in 50 far as prohibition
is concerned. Thus the fires Of ar
gument are famed and the un-
prejudiced-if there are any such
where this question is raised-maJ
take their choice of sides.
How Tests May Be Made.~N
| There are several ways Of bring
ing about test votes when it is de-
cided that the time has come to put
members of congress on record
again. One such is to tack on rid
er to the soldiers bonus bill pro.
viding for the manufacture and sale
of light wines and beer under a tai
sufficiently high to raise the funds
necessary to pay the bonus. Such q
move is to be expected from the
vets, but support will be urged or
the grounds that 1.-THE soldiers are
entitled to the bonus, Nthat the only
thing that stands in the way of this
recognition of their services is a
lack of money, and that this little
scheme will not only produce
enough funds to meet this demand
but will provide surplus for other
government needs.
This proposal may not get by
but it will cause senators and rep
resentatives to do some heavy
thinking before they make up their
minds which way to vote on it. II
may be said to be loaded with sew
eral kinds of political dynamite.
Another way Of bringing the pro-
hibition issue to the fore again is
in connection with the ship SUBSIDY
bill. 1t is we'll known that govern
ment ships now being operated have
bars and cater to the thirsty when
they are outside the three-mile limit
of the United States, as do the pas
senger vessels of other nations
Whether this is a violation of the
Volstead law has not been definite
ly determined as yet. but it is a
source of concern to the drys. The
vets cite it as evidence that there
is growing seHtiment against pro-
hibition. or the enforcement act, at
least. Otherwise, they say, govern
ment officials would not permit such
a thing.
Various amendments can be pro-
posed to the subsidy measure that
will precipitate the issue. One