The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1923-11-02
PROHIBITION GETS CLEAR
TRACK "ORJER BYGOvERNORS
Conferees Vote Unanimously for
Resolution for Prohibition
Enforcement
SUPPORT COOLIDGE
Parker (La.), Blaine (Wis.), and
Silzer IN. j., Fought in Vain
to Prevent Vote

Prohibition enforcement was the
overshadowing question before the
fifteenth annual Governors Confer
ence in session in West Baden, Ind,
last week. After a spirited discussion
the governors unanimously passed,
! October 10, a resolution indorsing
prohibition enforcement, and pledging
to President Coolidge their fullest CO.
operation in carrying out the man
dates OF the Eighteenth Amendment
as provided in the Volstead act. This
memorial which was presented to
President Coolidge on Saturday, Oc-
tober 20, at the Presidents Confer
ence of the governors at the White
House, is printed in full in another
column Of this paper. raass
1t was placed before the conference
by Governor Sweet of Colorado with
a demand for record roll call. Its
adoption, however, was viva svoce.
Thirtytwo of the 81 state and terri
toral governors were in attendance at
this conference. Two territorial gov
ernors were present, Scott c. Bone of
Alaska and w. r. harrington of
Hawaii
The adoption of the memorial came
as climax of three-hour session of
debate, parliamentary tangles and per-
picking maneuvering, in which three
governors fought throughout to block
| the vote. These were Governor John
M. Parker of Louisiana. Governor ]. ].
Blaine of Wisconsin, Governor George
S. Silzer of New Jersey.
When the conference met, Governor
Baxter of Maine called for unfinished
business and Governor Sweet stated
the redraft of the memorial to be pre-
scented tic President Coolidge was
ready for the signatures of the gov
errors. Governor Blaine OF Wiscon-
sin was on his feet instantly with OBJ
jections to the signing of the memo
rial, declaring "the round robin is an
unfair evasion OF our rule agains. res
olutions." He urged a discussion of
methods for enforcing the Volstead
act instead "of proclaiming from the
housetops that we are virtuous men
and good governors"
Governor Parker of Louisiana de-
clared he would resign from the con-
] ference of governors if a single mamie
were attached to the memorial. Gov.
ernor Neff of Texas replied tc Parker
by declaring, 81 have declared martial
law twenty times in various parts Of
Texas to insure law enforcement and
if AZ governors refuse to sign this me-
mortal it still will go to the national
capital with the signature of the larg-
est unit of this republic"
Silzer's Attempt to Block Action Fails
With the memorial still pending
Governor Silzer of New Jersey intro
duced resolution declaring the fed
eral enforcement organization ineffec-
tive in its operations, and that I'VE
believe there can be no real enforce
ment" as long as present conditions
exist. Governor Neff Immediately
moved it be tabled. Seconded by Gov
ernor Walker of Georgia, the motion
to table was put to roll call and
passed 20 to 2. After the roll call
| thn cd
of the regular order of business in ia
vor of the discussion of prohibition
methods as suggested by the recent
meeting of the Federal Council OF
Churches in America" The New
Jersey governors proposal was tabled
on motion of Governor Neff and the
governors returned to discussion OF the
memorial.
Parker Walks Out
More parliamentary wrangling fol-
lowed, and when Governor Baxter
called for a voice vote it was greeted
with shouts of yea and it was recorded
as adopted unanimously. The adop-
ton of the memorial was followed by
the resignation OF Governor Parker
from the conference. He declared,
however, that he would attend the
presidents conference on the follow
ing Saturday.
Basis of American Citizenship
The memorial declared law observ-
ance to be "the fundamental basis OF
American citizenship" and enforce
ment "the primary duty of every Off
cal." National prohibition is now by
constitutional amendment the law of
our land" it said, land an overwhelm-
ing majority of the citizens of the
United States are law-abidins and de-
sirous of the enforcement of law"
Setting forth that only the federal
authorities have control of liquor i'm
portations the governors said that
tba r,t;o,a1 COMMANDMENT ebo,fd svnr.