Evening star., 1923-01-01
Might Be Good Idea If All Agreed
TO 0hey the Law.

The suggestion of Representative
Upshaw of Georgia that, in view of
the fact that among the most fragrant
violators of the volstead enforcement
law are some federal officials, all of
the latter should take an oath to alb
stain from intoxicants. has been received
with varied emotions throughout the
country. There is general approval
of the suggestion that laws should be
enforced and that all good citizens,
as well as those in official life. should
lead TO this end. but some editors al
least take the Cpshaw proposal
humorouSly. Others dispose OF II py
quietly pointing out that. lnaasmucn
as every office holder. from the PreSl-
dent down, already has sworn to up
hold the constitution and administer
TIE laws, il is hard to see where a
new oath would prove any more e1-
fective.
mir. Upshaw's proposal is chal-
consistency" interprets the DalIas
Journal. but when the proposed
pledge is considered. together with
the element to whom il has been pre-
sented. one is reminded OF the INES
of an old poem which asked: Will
n " do it, dare they do it?' The sug-
gested answer is they won't and they
don't" In the opinion of the MIL
waukee Sentinel, There is no excuse
for congressman voting for law
which outruns their own private
practice Furthermore. is there any
excuse for half-hearted enforcement
on the ground that drastic ory
cleanup would raise so much pppoSl-
ton that the present law Woulu De
swept off the statute books and re
placed by a modified enactment? TO
face the matter squarely 1T is freely
charged that prohibitionlsts are
afraid of too strict enforcement, rear :,
ing a popular revulslon OF IeelIIis :.
Rnt the movement to make Congress
dry is a good one," the Charleston
Mail argues. Congress makes our
Laws and it is a travesty on demo
cratic principles for a BODY t@nat @
Servance of the law is the founda-
tion principle of democracy. y
cannot be ignored with impunity, ana
at the same time this fact shouI1 De
q standing warning to De sure dDouI
the laws we make before we make
them"
In the opinion of the Richmond
Naws-Ieader. however, public otf1-
ciaIs are not the only people VINO
sbonld take to themselves the hard
truths somewhat garishiy pTesenleu
bv CONGRESSMAN UpshaW. Ihe peo-
pie who lead hnanciaHy anu ooHiasy o,,i,,a1
in every American city need reViVa
IF nobiesse ob1ige. The standard OIL
nrohihition enforcement never Will ne
higher than that set by the so-caiieu
hest people. If they make 1t jest
can others be expected 10 Iake ~ ne
natch' on it's part. believes that the
ppIain truth is large section of the
pPnbiic Is deeply impressed by the
Sincerity of many public ofnclals VINO
engage in haranguing the country
ohe,,f its duty with respect to Vol
when absolute respect for
eli law becomes manifest In ofnc1al
life IL will not be so difficult to breed
the same respect in men and women
Generally" There is distinct skep-
ficism in the mind of the Hartford
Conrant that the public function de
no.nSed by Mr.. Upshaw ever will
take place. Whether or not his dra-
matic entry into the ranks of the
nroh hibitionists will greatly help that
cause we cannot say. But 1t appears
that he at least is not inclined lightly
to mt down the banner that, almost
~ Pchance. he was allowed to wave
40 dramatically in the van OF his
fellow workers"
The Waterbury Republican does
not consider there was anything per
sonal' in the declaration OF the Geor-
gia member, because 1T was made
to all responsible citlzens-tne clti-
zens who like to think OF themselves
as respectable. The preservation of
resnect for law in this country de-
nends primarily upon them, and just
now it is contingent upon their atti-
tude toward the prohibition laws.
warmly praising Upshaw for having
| "the full courage and logic OF his
convictions" the New York Evening
world insists that "once raised, the
question will not down. The futility
of present prohibition enforcement
] has become q state and national