Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1922-08-23
Three Fundamentals in the
VoIstead Act.

Three Fundamentals in the
Volstead Act.
The Index Journal wishes to again
set forth the three fundamentals, as
it, sees them, in the matter of viola
]tions of the Volstead act.
Whether we like it or not, whether
it was made possible in the way it
tshould and other kindred questions
iiare now purely academic. Prohibi-
ltion is the law of the land. It is not
only organic law but it is statute
llaw.
Officers of the law have no choice,
| no alternative. Even in counties
where the sentiment is overwhelm-
)ingly against the law, if there are
lany such, the officers of the law
1have no excuse to refuse to enforce
| the law.
| Our first fundamental then is: The
prohibition law should be rigidly en-
forced.
Officers have a hard job enforcing
any law. All of us know that. Town
1officers have their hands full in
Hooking after the ordinary run of
things. County officers, particularly
sheriffs, have a great variety of du-
4 ties to perform. In this state in the
.llast few years the sheriffs have been
kept on the run collecting or trying
to collect debts. They have to serve
papers. They have to collect back
takes. In every county in the south
probably large per cent of the time
lof this office is taken up with mat
!. tiers of this kind.
But violation of the law, any law,
comes before debt collecting. Prop
|erty is "good for taxes" as we say
and a delay of day or a week or
month will not matter much where
taxes have gone unpaid for several
1years.
The prohibition law should be en-
]forced and if the job is too big for
lone man, two men, five men or what
mot, the officers responsible should
,lcome out and tell the people who
Il
Ihave elected them that help is need
Ted and why.
No gs1r second &fundamen is that
officers should be more than brave
and tactful. They must be above re-
proach themselves. 1t is a great thing
for any officer when it is said of him
that his private life and conduct is
above reproach.
Our third fundamental is that too
many good citizens, good in the
sense that they are law abiding in
every sense, are buying whiskey. The
men who make whiskey make it to
sell, not to be poured out.
This sort of thing tends to blind
the average officer as to his duty.
He knows his duty, but when he sees
men of standing and of influence as
patrons of the bootlegger, it is nat
ural for him to be affected thereby.
To him it seems that people talk one
way for effect but, like Goldberg's
cartoon, "It does not mean any,
thing"
Think about these things. Condi-
tions are not improving and we need
to get down to the heart of the sit
uation.
Rigid enforcement of the prohibi-
tion law is our first suggestion in
this county. Put it above everything
else for a while. If more men are
needed let the officers say so. Bet
ter to pay the salaries Of half doz-
en- worthwhile men than to have a
murder every few weeks, to say
nothing of the economic waste which
the bootlegging business amounts to
as things are.-Greenwood Index
journal.
Woman's Missionary Union.
To be held at Mount Zion, August
31st and September LIST.
Devotions-W. M. u. Watchword,
Philippians 4:13, Mrs. A. T. Allen.
Welcome-Rev. P. B. Lanham,
pastor.