New Britain herald., 1923-05-16
In Letter Referring to New York Situation, Harding Hints That Constitution Must Be Kept Intact.
Writes in Reply to Demand That Congress Be Con. vened and Suspend Legis- lators Who Voted for Re- peal.

Newburg. x. r.. May i6.--Repesg result in "more or less conhist be- tween state and federal authosff1es'e in the opinion Of President HssAins expressed in a letter to Wesley Waite of this city made public today.
 Asks Congressional Actkn
 Soon after the passage by the New York legislature of the bill rspasAa0 the state enforcement law1 Mrs Waite wrote to the president urging that federal officials be prepared to take immediate action in the event. Governor Smith should sign ths bill. He urged that If the measure Is ap- proved the president convene con. gress and that the governor and ths members of the legislature who voted for the bill be suspended
 Makes Treason Charge
 Every state official who voted soy this bill Is subject to the law of traa- son. having taken the oath to sustain the constitution of the United 6tateaL" Mir. Waite's letter said.
 The president wrote in reply:
 Harding's Reply
 Pending the approval of the Cuv. filler bill by Governor Smith this uat- ter is hardly to be regarded as having reached the stage where any federal authority is called upon for a deter imitation of national policies. With much of what you say I am fully in accord. Mir. Lincoln said at the time when slavery was still a recognized, established and accepted institution throughout a considerable part of the union that the nation could not exist half slave and half free. That ex- pression has been accepted ever since as presenting the obvious and con. elusive logic of the situation which then confronted the union. Certain ly 1t would be still more impressive If there had been at that time con- stitutional provision against slavery az there is now a constitutional provision against the liquor traffic
 The nation has deliberately after many years of consideration, adopted he present policy which Is written in. to the 18th amendment.
 It Is the Law
 ~ is idW Ol lHe lduQ anQ OK every state within the union. So long ,s it remains the national policy there ,an be only one course for the nation- Il government to pursue. That Is to lse every means to make effective he law passed In compliance with his constitutional mandate. To do his would be the unquestioning pol- cy of the present administration and
 may add that I am firmly con- 'inced that 1t must be the policy of ther administrations that shall come hereafter.
 Sworn to Loyalty
 The executive of the nation and qually the executives of the states re shown to enforce the constitution. is difficult to believe that public pproval will ever be given to any ther than policy of fully and lit- rally discharging this duty. It does ct seem fitting however to enter uuon discussion of situation which has ot yet arisen. xxx
 Trouble Is Ahead
 T venture that if by reason of the afusal or failure of any state to dis. harge Its proper duty in such con- ection, the federal government is al ngth compelled to enter upon the 'rrttory and Jurisdiction of the state nd to set up those police and iudi- al authorities which would be re- lired, the most difficult and tryins tuations would be inevitably arise, ore or less conflict between state Id federal authorities would seem navoidable in such circumstances. he impression would be created tha. e federal government was assuming interfere with the functions of tho ates and the distressing results that ould ensue readily suggest them. Ives"