Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-11-13
LOOK 1T SQUARELY IN THE
FACE


legislation is one to be looked IN 'he
face. 70 be dealt with firmly and IN
full recognition of the forces In
volved.
In order TO do this 1t will be
necessary to depend on other con-
.ideration than the claims OF either
the ultra wet or the ultra dry. Inc
former are flushed with sanguine
hope of the overthrow OF the con-
s,i,u,ional amendment: the latter are
minimizing the significance of the
wet vote.
Those who wish to arrive at the
truth. will we feel sure. and nothing
IN the returns to indicate senu-
ment powerful enough to overthrow
the amendment, unless, in process OF
time, reason and conviction become
overwhelmed with disguest. But we
think many will conceive it to be
possible for such disgust to come
on the one hand because of corrup-
ton. graft. and all its attendant evils
snd on the other because OF fanati-
cism in q frenzy.
In the beginning 1t might be well to
hear In mind that the constitutional
amendment went into effect because
Of votes: that it might go out OF ef-
feet by the same process; that under
our form Of government the de-
ci.ions OF the ballot must be respect
ed or America ceases to be America.
But IL likewise will cease to be
America unless such change, as may
be effected, is made with an idea to
better the conditions Of the moral
welfare OF the country. That never
can be through the triumph of the
boot logging sentiment. No COM
nunity, no party, no land gripped by
the Shiny tentacles Of constituencies
greed exemplifed by those who would
coin wealth out of the weakness OF
treir fellows ever did or ever can be
successful in the America we have
known, and we do not believe 1t can
change overnight or change to that
degree so long as right-thinking reo-
pie stand together, sacrifice together.
insist on laws that shall be reason
able and on such laws being OBJ
served.
Today there are some Of the peo-
pie. whose life conduct entities them
to claim that they belong among the
right-thinking, who are convinced
that some modification of the Vol
stead law would be wise. Then there
arc those who see in this the OPEN
ing of a door to the self-convicted
criminal, the saloon. AS we see it
the burden of proof to the contrary is
on the former. and it is a heavy one.
But there is no light burden on the
latter. They now have the law and
they must demonstrate that the well
fare of this country is improved by it,
To do this they are under obligation
10 improve on the present situation.
They have got to make it much more
difficult than it is at present for the
man with money to get liquor for
ten dollars bottle. If they would
convince the others who haven't the
price. that prohibition is just. It
won't do just to say. even though it
Is true. that those with wealth ac-
Quire power, otherwise people
wouldn't seek wealth. That will not
satisfy this man with a vote. He
held his peace in marked degree when
the law went into effect and when,
before Bookkeeping could perfect a
system, he saw the beneficial effects
OF the law. He said to himself: TT
may be a good thing. II it is I'll take
my share OF deprivation with the rest
OF them" Men have been known I'M
ccmplainingly to starve on a fair
distribution of the food in the boat,
who would have upset the craft and
all in It had the distribution been I'M
fair. We are all in the boat together
snd it's considerable distance to dry
land
Reaction in states peopled as are
Massachusetts. New Jersey, New
York. Illinois and Missouri is to be
expected. The first returns, coming
a. they did from such states. would
naturally create q wet impression,
which already Is being changed by
the returns from the Middle West
and from the far-away country
places. Look at Ohio for instance,
END California. and don't forget that
the candidate who defeated volstead
10 ~ dry as ever Volstead was, al
though the defeat Of the author of the
Volstead law favors the wet pro-
gram In the national House. But
also don't forget that the undoubted
existence Of syndicated wealth en-
gagged in smuggling rum into this
country to the extent now evident il
Il blot on the American record OF Of
ficial integrity and efficiency; that II