Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-10-23

text of he presidents address to
the governors today follows:
1t is my peculiar privilege to
welcome you here as one, who,
by experience can look at your
problems with that sympathy
which comes from common fell
lowship. The governorship of a
sovereign state of our nation is
an exalted exception, every other
office in America. 1t is the very
greatest honor that a state can
bestow. A gathering Of COVER
norS has a significance greater
than any other unofficial convo-
cation that can be held in the
United States.
1t would only be a matter Of
large public Importance that
ould justify a gathering of the
chief executives of the states of
the nation for a conference at
Washington. You have been in
vited that might lay before you
some of the problems for a better
enforcement Of laws. A state
ment of the purpose is sufficient
to indicate the Importance, for a
government which does not en-
force it's laws is unworthy of the
name of government, and can
not expect to hold either the sup
port Of its own citizens or the
respect of the INFORMED opinion
of the world.
That ours is a dual system of
administration does not need to
10 1os nj LIZ
Joint powers and joint response
hilities exist, which can best be
exercised and discharged by joint
action.
Aliens and Narcotics
While certain classes of aliens,
easily distinguishable, have been
excluded from this country for
considerable length of time, a
general policy of restricting i'm
migration, broadly inclusive, has
only recently been adopted. The
new law admits approximately
$4,000 aliens, or about one-third
of the number coming in annual.
ly under the old law before the
war. On other hand the number
desiring to enter is now much
larger, and attempts to evade the
law have greatly increased. 1t is
estimated by the department of
labor that there is a seepage over
the border and through the
ports, Of about 100000 which is
a considerable, menace to the
success of our immigration pol
icy. Suck an influx of persons,
entering the country In violation
of the law, cannot fail to attract
the attention of local police au-
thorities along our borders and
on orr seacoasts, who can be of
very great assistance in notifying
the local Representatives of the
department Of justice, or the de-
partment OF labor, in order that
such persons may the more read
lily be excluded ana deported.
Another problem exists which
is worldwide in some of its as
poets. 1t is considered of such
Importance to our own welfare
that special representatives of
this country, attended, when the
League of Nations recently con-
sidered the regulation of the
opium traffic where their efforts
met with large success. The ma
tional laws and the laws ot most
of the states regulate the sale of
narcotic drugs. Their use, ex-
cept under the direction of COM
petent medical advice, is every
where regarded as attended with
grave danger, usually resulting
in lamentable disaster. The eff
fective protection of the people
from these results depends on
our ability t. prevent the snug
Cling and unlawful sale of sucn
narcotics. Their use is, in part
perhaps, due to physical disease
and, in part, to lack of moral
stamina, but their abuse is al
most wholly result of violations
of the law. If the law can be
enforced, medical science would
very soon rid the country of this
menace. This traffic is carried
on secretly and evasively. It
can only be detected and eradi-
Gated through a system Of local
inspectors and police.
The national secret service and
enforcement officers can cope
with the smugglers and the
wholesalers, but the peddlers
and retailers can not success
fully be suppressed without the
assistance of state and munich
pal police.
Prohibition Enforcement
The other problem which I
wish to lay before you is that of
Intoxicating liquors. The eight
zenith amendment was proposed
by the congress in 1917. and its
ratification proclaimed in Jan
uary, 1919. 1t prohibits the
manufacture, sale or transpor-
tation and the importation and
expectation of Intoxicating
liquors for beverages purposes,
and confers upon the congress
and the several states concur
rent power to enact enforce
ment legislation. This power =.
was exercised by the congress in
which was finally passed in &C.
tOber, 1919, two-thirds of the
house of representative and
senate present, having voted in
the affirmative. Substantially
all of the states have likewise
passed enforcement acts under
the authority of the eighteenth
amendment. In all of the states
there had long been laws regu-
lating the sale of intoxicating
liquors, and in many of the
states prohibition Mad already
heen adopted.
Neither the amendment nor
the prohibition act undertakes
to relieve the states of their
responsibility relative to intox-
eating liquors. but, on the
other hand, the amendment con-
:ers jurisdiction upon them,
9nd the prohibition act author.
yes state and local prosecuting
attorneys to bring injunction