Evening star., 1923-06-25

plishment toward uniformity and
Qualification of state and national
laws has been effected through
the efforts of the American Bar
Association. This, of course, has
been an unofficial effort-a labor
of love and patriotism, conducted
by men especially qualified for It's
direction. 1t has seemed possible
that something rather more for
NAL and official might be evolved
from these beginnings. which
should help In perfecting the CO.
dination. President Roosevelt
recognised this possibility when
he called council of governors
to consider problems them de-
manding harmonious and uniform
treatment. Under the present ad-
ministration a similar course has
been adopted in bringing together
the state executives for considera-
tfon of methods to give full force
ana erect to the concurrent au-
thority of states and nation under
the eighteenth amendment.
We have dealt upon the same
general principle in fixing a pro-
gram for the utilization of the
waters of the Colorado river. In
deed. l have thought these confer
ences contained the germ of an
idea which may some day grow
into a useful auxiliary to our con-
stituttonal system: a formal coun-
Gil or coordination. representing
state and national governments;
authorized TO examine into par
tfcular needs in this area, to devise
projects in co-ordinated action and
to propose them formally to the
Congress and the legislatures.
Without possessing any powers of
legislation or of mandatory initia-
ton. such body might render an
advisory service which, If made .
permanent and continuing. would
conceivably be of great advantage.
Discusses Dry Law.
But for the present there are
immediate problems before us
which cannot await the possible
creation of any such slow moving
mechanism of philosophic consid-
GRAFTON. The prohibition amend
ment to the Constitution is the
basic law of the land. The Vol
stead act has been passed, provid-
ing a code of enforcement. | am
convinced that they are a small,
and a greatly mistaken, minority
who believe the eighteenth amend
ment will ever be repealed. De-
tails of enforcement policy doubt
dictates. Further. I am convinced
that whatever changes may be
made will represent the sincere
purpose of effective enforcement,
rather than moderation of the gen
eral policy. 1t will be the part of
wisdom to recognize the facts as
they stand.
The general policy of the states
to support the prohibition pro-
gram, and to cooperate with the
federal government regarding it,
is attested by the fact that al
most unanimously the States have
passed enforcement laws of their
own. A difficulty, however, arises
at this point. A good deal of tes-
timony comes to Washington that
soma states are disposed to alb
dicate their own police authority
in this matter. and to turn over
the burden of prohibition enforce
ment to the federal authorities. 1t
Is singular fact that some states
which successfully enforced their
own prohibition statutes before
the eighteenth amendment was
adopted have latterly gone back
wards in this regard.
United States Policy Blamed.
Communities in which the policy
was frankly accepted as produc-
tive of highly beneficial results,
and in which there was no wide
spread protest so long as it was
merely a state concern, report that
since the federal government be-
came in part responsible there has
been a growing laxity on the part
of state authorities about enforc-
ing the law. Doubtless this is