Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1923-11-15
LAW ENFORCEMENT TOPIC
DISCUSSED AT CONVENTION


paper as scheduled to be held in
the Methodist Episcopal church.
took place Thursday, beginning in
the afternoon, with Mr.. L. t. Gray
presiding.
The first part of the program was
taken up with the devotional exer-
cises in charge of Rev. E. o. Norris
of the local M. e. church.
Mr.. Gray then stated the object
of the meeting and referred in
general way to what had been done
along the prohibition line and what
is vet to be done in enforcing the
law as it stands, and getting the ef-
feet desired The convention was
no doubt the outgrowth of the con-
ference held not long ago between
President Coolidge and the gov
ernors of the various states, in
which it was made clear that the
president desires the cooperation of
all the governors in this nation
wide effort TO make prohibition
really prohibit. The governors in
1urn are to see to it that they them
selves uphold prohibition, as eXem-
Dlifed in the 18th amendment, and
the officials working below them
state, county and municipal, are
each to do their share.
Following Mr.. Gray's talk, Mr..
John o. Day of Malta, Justice of
the Peace, made short talk, the
main thought of which is the diff
Guilty experienced by officials in en-,
forcing the prohibition laws--for
the reason that persons with actual
knowledge of transgressions do not
come to the help of officials as they
should, and "hearsay" does not go.
This, we take it, is an experience
that other officials in common with
Mr.. Day have had, and are having.
Best results can be obtained by the
people helping the officials, and II
they have any information worth
while TO impart to them, to do So
and not withhold such information
and then blame any official for not
getting results when they them
selves are afraid to do what they
know to be their duty.
Following Mr.. Days talk, Mrs.
Mary E. Dye, representing the w. G..
r. u, made an address, her subject
being What the Women Can Do.
Mrs. Dyes talk was not of achieve
ments of the organized women in
temperance work, but of the present
conditions-and the future oppor-
tunity as to enforcement. Mrs. Dye
referred to Lincoln's political re-
ligion-'laW enforcement" She
thinks it should be our religion, and
she pointed out that with the bal
lot in their hands women now have
a practical means Of assisting in
this law enforcement. She thinks
the teachers in the schools have a
responsibility, as well as a great
privilege, in intoxicating in the
minds of their pupils temperance
ideals and principles and a regard
for law, and that they should use
this privilege.
Mr.. B. F. Mcdonald. state prohi-
bition commissioner, came next on
the program. His talk dealt some
what with what the enforcing OF
prohibition has cost. He spoke of
the amount collected in eight
months from fines for violations uf
the law being something like ST.
O79,OO0, and for the work the state
also appropriated $108,000. He
talked some on bonded liquor and
referred to the paddock" law which
is that when person has violated
the prohibition law the third time,
the building occupied by such may
be locked up. He referred to the
fact that to have the fullest and
best results from the prohibition
law officials of all degrees must do
their duty.
Jas. A White, superintendent of
the Anti-Saloon League, followed
Mr.. Mcdonald on the program, and
phases of the prohibition question.
One thought brought out by him
was that no wet" need ever apply
for the office of president of the
United States. National temper
ance sentiment is too strong for
that. The prohibition law is writ
ten into our statute books and is
there to stay Ii will not be abro-
gated any more than the law
against murder or any other crime,
no matter how many violatOrS con-
spire to break it down.
After the speeches, an Opportuni-
ty was given for the asking of ques-
tions. One pertinent question
asked was to what extent if
any, the prohibition law applies TO
a dealer dispensing inter, Jamaica
ginger, extract" and such. The
discussion dealt principally with
inter, as il was brought out that
that is much used, to obtain the al
cohol from. Prohibition Officer
Mcdonald made it plain that deal
er knowingly dispensing inter for
such purpose can be handled. All
that is needed is the evidence in a
tangible form that will go in court.
Such person it was stated should be
fined more heavily even than an out
and out bootlegger.
The meeting while interesting
throughout, was not largely attend
ed
In the evening Hon. Chas. RI.
Fouts presided. Prayer was Offered
by Rev. F. Gillian of the Malta M
+. church.
The first speaker was Rev. Geo
f. Fisher, district deputy of the
Anti-Saloon League He dwelt prin-
cipally upon the condition existing
when Ohio voted dry-a condition
we had not been trained to. He said
Ohio got ahead of the 18th amend
ment in voting out the saloons
which was done by the men. How.
ever while the men passed laws il
was the women that put the.o
across. He denied that bootleggers
are more numerous now than they
were before saloons were voted out