The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1923-07-13


Westerville June Is, and ratified by
Saloon League, sitting in Weserville t
The Anti-Saloon League of America,
in harmony with its settled policy Of
thirty years, will not ask the Conven-
tion of either political party for dry
plank or one sustaining the Eighteenth
Amendment. The Eighteenth Amend
ment is an established fact. The Anti
Saloon League will, however, continue
its policy of helping to support the nom
nation and election of candidates OPP.
posed to the wet program and who are
in favor of the Eighteenth Amendment
and the effective enforcement thereof
TIE liquor traffic, though outlawed, is
still fighting. 1t is backed by the money
power of the liquor traffic of the world.
The liquor lords, knowing that a dry
America means dry world, arc seeking
to keep the world wet by recovering
what they lost in America. They arc
seeking TO make of the Constitution of
the United States a mortuary chapel
with q dead amendment in one of its
inches. The saloon, with its attendant
evils, is trying TO march back under
the banner OF light wines and beer.
American sobriety is at stake. Regard
for law, respect for the Constitution,
all that is deepest in the heart of Amer
lea, is at stake. The opposing forces
arc drawn up for the supreme struggle.
1t is law or liquor, the Constitution or
anarchy. The call comes to every pa.
triot. every lover OF mankind, every law
abiding citizen. It comes in a peculiar
way to every member of the Church Of
the Living God. If the church will keep
the faith. the liquor traffic will be com
PEELED to keep the law, and America will
lead the world into the glory of day
when the human race will be free from
the deadly faint of alcohol
Challenged by Minority
The right of the majority to enact
and enforce laws within the Republic is
challenged by minority. The duty of
the minority to obey the Constitution,
legally adopted by the required ma
jority, has been irrevocably established.
When minority are dissatisfied with
the Constitution they have the undoubt-
ed right to persuade others to join them
until they constitute majority and
then change the Constitution by legal
methods. If the state and nation can
repudiate their Constitutional obliga-
tions deliberately adopted, and repeal
the laws essential to the enforcement of
the Constitution then orderly govern
ment will fail.
Defiance of the majority by a minority
is exemplified by the action of the Legis-
lature and Governor of New York State
in repeating the law of that state de-
signed to aid in the enforcement of pro-
hibition. By this action the Legislature
and the Governor abjectly Surrendered
the sovereign right of the state to de-
termine the way it should enforce
principle binding upon the state in any
event; they completely capitulated to
the criminal bootlegger, making him the
only beneficiary of their act and at the
same time refused the law abiding citi-
zen the protection of the law; they de-
MED their legal duty and were recreant
tlo,, 1,tt 10 hall, fnrna tho
mandate OF the highest law of the land.
This action, and any other act of
merits the Indignation of
true Americans everywhere, and pre-
sages early political oblivion for its
We appeal to all fair minded, law
abiding citizens, both friends and foes of
to play the game of de-
fairly, to obey and help to on
force the Eighteenth Amendment until
it is repealed by the orderly processes
of government When the right of a
self-governing people to have its own
laws enforced is challenged, the issue
must be met and fought out without
quarter until the black flag of lawless-
ness has been supplanted by the emblem
of law and order, and until Old Glory
is respected in every part of our country.
Doctrines of Anarchy
Respect for, and obedience to, the
law must be accorded by every one who
is not ready to assert his own superior
ity to the law and thus espouse the
doctrines of anarchy. The bootlegger
would not exist without patrons. The
person who patronizes the bootlegger
conspires to violate the law and should
be held in equal contempt with his fell
low criminal, the bootlegger himself.
A corollary of universal obedience to
the law is energetic and impartial en-
forcement of the law. We call upon the
courts to impose penalties commensurate
not only with the enormity of the offense
but also with their deterrent influence
upon the offender. We urge Jail SEN
fences as means to this end.
We most earnestly protest against