The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-10-27
LAW ENFORCEMENT
 A ND OBEDIENCE
(Washington Postl

Public opinion throughout the Union will be clarified by Presi- dent Coolidge's statement to the governors on the enforcement and observance of law. His state ment has particular reference, of course, to the prohibition law. It would be greatly to the interest of the United States if every citi- zen would read and apply to him self what President Coolidge has said.
 The president brings out three cardinal points with clearness and force:
 1. That the executives are the iaw-enforcing officers of the na- tion.
 law is the supreme law of the land, binding upon every inhabi- tant, the states are not released from responsibility merely be- cause the national government has performed it's duty by en- acting a law pursuant to the eighteenth amendment. The states will have the responsibility of en- acting laws to enforce the eigh- teenth amendment.
 8. That obedience to law is as important as enforcement, and that the law-abiding element Is entitled to support and protection by the suppression of the lawless clements by all executives.
 The responsibility for enforc- y,er nfGhtannth ,dy,,a ay1f ie jointly upon the states and the national government. The na- tional government has done it's duty by enacting the enforcement law. Some of the states have not enacted enforcement laws. and one state has repealed its enforce ment law. That state, New York, gains nothing by repeating its own law, as it Is still bound by the national law. If local officials should encourage lawbreaking on the ground that the state law has disappeared, they are likely to run afoul of the national law and suffer accordingly. In any event the lawless element of New York are subject to punishment, and they are now placed on warning by the president of the United States that they will be pursued and prosecuted to the limit pro- vided by the constitution and the law of the land.
 Disrespect for law is becoming one of the pronounced character istics of Americans. This disre- spect is accountable for an alarm ing number of murders and other crimes. Disrespect for one law leads to violation of all laws. The country is reaching the limit of safety in this matter of en- forcement of law and obedience to law. The government alone cannot save the country, nor can the president and all the govern ors combined. The country's. laws, as President Coolidge says. '"rep- | resent the voice of the people" Unless the people support both enforcement and obedience, the republic is doomed to destruction.
 If law is not desired by the people, they can change or repeal it, and they alone can do it. Their executives have no right to change or repeal law by failing to en- force it. The people have as much right to repeal law as they have to cause its enactment. Their voice controls in either case When the majority of the people make a law and 1t Is objectionable to some of the people, it Is na- tional madness and anarchy to at- tempt to set it aside by failing to enforce it or by refusing to obey 1t. The only honest and orderly method to pursus~4s to enforce and obey it until and unless it is repealed. Those who oppose the prohibition law are cowardly when they demand that executives shall not enforcsSft, and they are