The Washington times., 1922-04-10
DRY ACT UPHELD
|NMOST STATES,
BRYAN ASSERTS
Laxity in ''Wet" Districts Due
to Unsympathetic Officials,
He Declares.

He Declares.
William Jennings Bryan t0as
asked today If, tn his opinion, the
enforcement of the Voistead act
sDas breaking doton. The famous
prohibftiontst anstoered by aoritfng
the following statement:
BY WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN.
Copyright. 1874. by Cosmopolitan News
Service)
MIAMI, Fla, April 1o.-Any state
ment that alleges that the enforce
ment of the Volstead law has broken
down is not in harmony with the
facts. Wherever enforcement is In
efficient. 1t is explained by local
causes, the chief cause being the fail
ure of local authorities TO support the
Federal Government in it's efforts.
But these failures are not general.
Officials Declared LAX.
Thirty-three States of the Union
Federal amendment. The complaints
about lax enforcement come almost
entirely from the sections in which
the vets" are strong enough to elect
officials pledged in advance to violate
their oath of office, and even in these
sections the failure to enforce the
law Is exaggerated by wet" newspa.
pers that boldly and openly encour-
age lawiessness.
Z A number of New York city pa
pers publish almost daily items which
are calculated TO make the law break.
ers feel that they can violate the pro-
hibition law with impunity. A Phila-
delphia paper recently warned tho
Federal Government not to attempt
to interfere with rum runners beyond
the three-mile limit. Biographies
tell US that three.fourths OF the
earth's surface Is covered with water;
the wet" editors seem to think that
civilization must confine itself to that
one-fourth that Is dry and turn over
the high seas to outlaws.
AT War With Lawless."
Our nation is at war with lawless
element. and these editors are con-
stantly handicapping the Govern
ment. II our nation was at war with
another nation and these editors
dared to encourage the enemy as
they now encourage the enemies of
law enforcement, they would be pun
ished for treason.
Acquiescence in the will of the
people is supposed to be a primary
principal OF our Government; JEFF
ferson declared II to be the first
principle Of republics. The Demo
Gratis observed this rule in 1876 when
they acquiesced in the election OF a
Republican President by a majority
OF one I'm the Electoral College, not
withstanding the fact that that one
majority was secured by one ma
jority in the electoral commission.
which votedis to 2 on every impor-
tant question. Co.
In 1884 the Republicans asquiesced
in the election of Cleveland, although
the election turned on the State of
New York, and the State of New
York went Democratic by a very
small majority.
IN 1915 the Republicans scquiesced
in the reelection of President VII
son by a small majority In the Elec-
toral College; that majority turned
on the vote of California, which went
Democratic by small majority.
Here we have members OF the two
leading parties acquiescing in Presi-
dental victories won by small mar
gins, when great interests were at
stake.
Majority Declared in Favor.
Why should there be resistance to |
which has back OF II a |
larger majority than has been in re-
cent years recorded in favor of any
President? Prohibition has carried |
. Nl.A o.nN
IL was submitted by a two-thirds' vote |
of Congress; IL was ratified in forty
six States-all but Connecticut and |
gress submitted prohibition by a two |
and then a Republican Con-
gress, elected after prohibition was
passed the Volstead act
by more than a two-thirds' vote, pass
ing II over a Presidents veto, with
OF the Presidents party
in both houses concurring in the pas
sage.
The present Congress, elected after
prohibition went into effect, has |
passed the anti-beer bill by more than
vote. When have we had
such a preponderance OF the vote in
favor of any other policy of the
Attitude on Tariff Cited.
When the protectionists win and
put a tax upon the people for the
benefit of manufacturers, those op-
posed to protection bow to the will
Of the majority and pay the tax.
When the advocates of low tariff
win the believers In protection bow
to the will of the majority. although
they insist before the election that a
low tariff will menace the nations
welfare.
why should a victory against the
saloon be the only kind of victory
that is resisted Is appetite stronger
than loyalty to government II the
liquor traffic can cultivate such an
appetite, the mere fact that IL can
do so is an unsnswerable argument
against the saloon. II the saloon can
bring men down to a condition where
they will sacrifice all their ideals of /
for a drink, we had bet
ter finish the fight now rather than