Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-10-23

natCu inc session ana mace ltS ap
| pearance at the first meeting We'd
| nesday afternoon. The discussion
continued through every session 2nt
the matter was not settled until the
last and most important meeting or
| Friday, at which session | was Sc
lected to preside. Among the Gov
errors who were the most earnest
advocates of adopting the memorial
I to the President, not only favorin2
! law enforcement but also approving
| the Eighteenth Amendment and the
/ Volstead Act. were Governors Sweet
| of Colorado, Pinchot of Pennsylvania
| Neff. of Texas, and the Governor OF
| Maine: while those opposed to the
! Conference taking any action wore
| Governors Parker of Louisiana. Sill
| yer of New Jersey. and Blaine OF
| Wisconsin. With the exception OF
Louisiana the Southern Governors
were solidly for prohibition.
II told of the conditions in Maine
| especially those along the border, anG
said that Maine was cooperating Will
| the Federal Authorities in every
way | took occasion to speak APP
| provingly of the work of the Fed
eral Prohibition Director, May. and
United States District Attorney
| Dyer, in our State, and explained
what they had accomplished, espcc-
| tally in Hancock county where the
| local officials had been negligent OF
| their duties.
| THE memorial that was presented
! and unanimously adopted will have
| an immediate effect toward strength
| ening the public sentiment through
out the country. After its passage il
was telegraphed to President Cool
! idCe, so that he knew how the Gov :
| errors stood before the White House
/ Luncheon. 1t was a great step for
ward for prohibition and showed
! that an overwhelming majority OF
the Governors of this country arc
not only in favor of law enforcement
but are outspokenly DRY. Politics
was never mentioned. nor was any
partisanship shown during the entire
conference.
"There was no time for recreation
and the Governors hardly left the
hotel as every moment was taken up
in the discussions. 1t was especially
encouraging to note the, entire alb
sence of liquor. 1t was neither seen
nor used and was never mentioned
except in the general discussions
I that took place in the conference
rooms.
1.-THE entire party adjourned to
Washington and at the invitation of
the President took luncheon at the
White House on Saturday. At this
gathering there We're forty Cover
nors present. Governors Smith of
New York, Scrugham of Nevada,
Richie of Maryland Brown of New
Hampshire. Flynn of Rhode Island,
| Donahey of Ohio, Bryan of Nebraska,
and Morrison of North Carolina, be-
ing present in person. while the
Governors of Oklahoma and Oregon
were represented. Several members
of the Presidents Cabinet were also
in attendance. The luncheon was
held in the West room where the
party remained throughout the after
noon. President Coolidge delivered
a strong address which was endorsed
by all the Governors present except
the Governors of Maryland and New
| York, whose statements did not i'm
press their fellow Governors as
strong or logical. The arguments of
these two Governors were based upon
! personal liberty and seemed to most
! of us to be merely excuses for fail
ure to enforce the law. The President
was given a strong assurance of CO.
operation for he recognized that the
/ United States had certain duties to
perform as we'll as had the States.
! ut was a momentOus gathering
! which will long be remembered by
those who participated in it. News
/ PAPER men were everywhere in eNl-
/ dence and pictures of all sorts were
! taken both in Indiana and at the
/ White House.
/ "The memorial that was adopted
| by the Governors was aS follows and
! fioa tinn for
! the Conference:
| The President,
The White House.
| Washington, d. c.
| Mr.. President:
| Observance of law Is the funda-
| mental basis of American citizenship
! and enforcement of law is the pri-
mary duty of every official National
prohibition is now, by constitutional
amendment. the law of our land. An
| overwhelming majority of the clu-
zens of the United States are law
abiding and DESTROYS of the enforce
| ment of law.
| The national government alone mas
control of the manufacture of intoXi-
! cants and has a very special obllga- =
ton TO perform in prohibiting the
Importation into this country OF
wines and spurious liquors. contrary
! TO the laws of the, United States.
! The individual states are powerless
| to act in these respects, therefore
the national government should eX-
ercise its full power and authority IN
dealing with these questions.
We believe that the Chief Executive
Of every state should be Jealous IN
| the enforcement of the prohibition
law and should urge upon every state
official a strict observance and en-
forcement of the same: and
We believe that the state and fed
eral officers should cooperate fully IN
preventing the violation Of our pro-
hibition law and in making effective
the will of our people in regard to
it's enforcement. New condltlonS
! impose new responsibilities. People
who violate one law will the more
readily be guilty Of sviolating other
laws. Therefore, the individual
states should share with the fedora
government the duty and respon-
sibility oc enforcing the Eighteenth
Amendment.
We pledge you, rs Governors. our
fullest cooperation in this effort.
Very respectfully.
GOVERNORS CONFERENCE
by Percival P. Baxter,
Governor OF Maine,
Chairman.
"As n result there is bound to be an
awakened public conscience as VOL