Evening star., 1923-10-21

The text of President Coolidge
speech at the governors conference yes
-arday follows.
/ is my peculiar privilege to
welcome you here as one who. by
experience. can look at your prob
lens with that sympathy which
comes from common fellowship
The governorship of a sovereign
state of our nation is an exalted
position II outranks. wirbin its
own Jurisdiction. with a single ex-
cepticn, every other office in Amer
lea. 1t is the very greatest honor
that state can bestow \ gath
ering of governors has signiti-
canoe greater than any other un-
official convocation that can be
held in the United States.
1t would be only matter OF
large public importance that could
justify gathering of the chief
executives of the states and the
nation for conference at Wash
ington. You have been invited here
that ! might lay before YOU some
of the problems for a better en-
Torcement Uf law. statement OF
the purpose is sufficient to midi
cate the Importance. for a govern
ment which does nov enforce its
laws is unworthy of the lame OF
Il government. and cannot expect
to hold either the support of it's
own citizens or the respect Of The
informed opinion Of the world.
That ours is dual system of
administration does not need 10
be explained in this presence: Joint
powers and joint responsibilities ex-
at pXPrPiSeH
discharged by joint action.
Restriction OF Aliens.
While certain classes of aliens,
easily diStinguishable have been
excluded from this country FOR
considerable length Of time, gem
eral policy of restricting immiSra-
tion. broadly inclusive. has only
recently been adopted. The new
law admits Approximately 35V,0O0
aliens. or about one-thtrd OF the
number coming in annually under
the old law before the war. On
the other hand, the number de-
string TO enter is now much larger
and attempts to eyade the law
nave greatly increase 1t is esti-
mated by the Department of LaD"r
that there is a seepage ever the
border and through the ports OF
about 100000. which is cons,d der
able menace to the success OF our
immigration policy. Sucn an N
f1ux of persons. entering the coun-
try in violation IF the law, can
not fail to attract the attention OF
local police authorities along our
borders and on our sea coasts. VINO
can be of very great assistance III
notifying the local representatives
of the Department nf Justice or
the Department of Labor, IN oruer
that such persons may the more
readily be excluded ana deporteu.
n oY1 g q
world wide in some OF It's aspecta'
II is considered of such impor-
tence 70 our own welfare that spe-
cfal Representatives Of this coun.
try attended, when the league or
nations recently considered tEe
regulation of the opium traInc'
where their efforts met with large
success. The national laws and
the laws of most of the states reg
uIate the sale of narcotic drugs.
Their use, except under the dlrec-
ton of competent medical ADVICE,
is everywhere regarded as attend
ed with grave danger, usually re-
suIting in lamentable disaster.
TIE effective protection OF the
people from these results depends
on our ability to prevent the Snug
Cling and unlawful sale of such
narcotics. Their use Is in part,
perhaps due TO physical disease.
and. in part. to lack of moral stam-
ina, but their abuse is almost
wholly a result of violations of
the law. If the law can be en-
forced, medical science would very
soon rid the country of this mem
ace. This traffic is carried on Sc
cretly and evasively. 1t can only
be detected and eradicated through
a system of local inspectors and
police. The national secret serv-
cope with the smugglers and the
wholesalers. but the peddlers and
retailers cannot successfully be
suppressed with out the assistance
of state and municipal police.
Problem of Dry Law.
The other problem which / wish