Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-08-29
BY FREDERIC I. HASKIN.

Is the one. way Of return to pre-pro-
hibition days. No one now contem-
plates seriously an attempt to repeal
or revoke the eighteenth amendment.
To accomplish this would require
another constitutional amendment
and when it is recalled that only three
states refused to ratify the eighteenth
amendment 1t, is apparent that it
would be impossible to secure the
votes Of three-fourths of the states to
q new amendment that would elimin-
ate prohibition from the nations or
ganic law.
However. the eighteenth amend
ment merely prohibits the manufnc-
ture. transportation. sale. and use for.
beverage purposes of Intoxicating lfqs
uor. 1t does not desire intoxicants
and it does not provide any penalties
for violation of the amendment or
any means for enforcing it. All this
was done in the Volstead law and il it
were to be repealed prohibition would
be as dead as John "Barleycorn is now
supposed to be. :.
Repeal improbable.
But it is not anticipated that al eff
fort will lie made in earnest to rppeal
the Folstead law. 1t may be pro-
posed as a tactical move but with no
IuCo VI putting IL OVER. only Inc Wet-
test OF the vets favoha return to the
days Of the saloon and hard liquor.
and they are in a hopeless minority.
T. Accordingly the real play will be
for such a modification OF the Vol
stead law that beer and light wines
may be manufactured, sold and used
any where in the country. except IN
those states that had state prohibition
before the amendment to the federal
constitution. Advocates Of this PRO-
posal claim that it will promo te tenn
peranca even If It is q, blow aimed at
absolute prohibition. They argue tina,
1t will g. far toward ending the pres
ent illegal traffic in whiske5-,, moon
shine. and other hard stuffa. basirg
their contention on the idea that those
who insist upon having some kind OF
alcoholic stimulant will ba satisfied
with wines and beer that are not dis
;inctly harmful and will cease patron
ling bootleggers and rum runners.
The drvs see no force to this, argu,
ment and are opposed to any changes
in the Vols.aad law V such as
might make It stronger. They insist
that II the bars are let down--or,
rather, opened up--to beer and light
wines. the whole Objectionable liquor
traffic will fasten Its t%entacles on the
country again. Moreover. they are
quite confident that an overwhelming
majority Of the people OF the United
States are with them aud that they
have the vets defeated in any nov
they may make. Prohibition is not q
failure. they say. and 1t is only a mat
ter Of time until it's enforcement will
be practically absolute.
With the plans and arguments OF
both sides clearly in evidence only
one thing is certain and that is that
we have the prohibition question still
with us and that 1t will continue with
US for some time to come.
Meanwhile the subject remains the
favorite topic Of conversation wher<
ever people gather together. Euro!
peans who visit us express amazemeat
that Americans find SO little else to
talk about, and they'are even stronger
in their comment on the fact that &c
many otherwise respectable citizens
are frankly and openly violators Of
the law.
Perhaps they wifi understand the
why and wherefore of all this when
they have prohibition In England and
on the continent.
E--E LAt aEF