The Washington times., 1923-06-25
STATES AID
URGED To
UPHOLD
LAWS
Failure to Cooperate Will
Compel Formation of U. S.
Police, He Declares.
By GEORGE R. HOLMES,
International News Service.

International News Service.
DENVER, Colo, June 25.-
President Harding waded into the
prohibition situation without
gloves here today, and in by far
the most forceful speech he has
ever delivered on this contro-
yersial subject he declared that
prohibition in the = United States
has come to stay, that people
might as we'll make up their
minds to it. and that it is up to
the individual States and local
authorities to enforce it.
u. S.. Police If States Fail.
II the States fail in this moral
and Constitutional duty to the Fed
eral Government, he warned, then
the Government, at great expense,
will be compelled TO create a ma
tional police authority that in the
end will severely injure state soyer-
eighty and eventually menace the
well being Of the Republic.
Moreover, he served notice on the
vets within his own party that
there would be no wet plank in the
Republican platform next year, and
he predicted also that there will be
none in the Democratic platform.
To OutIast Lifetime.
at venture to predict said
Harding. that neither of the great
parties will see the time. within
the lives of any who are now vot-
ing citizens, when it will declare
openly for the repeal of the
Eighteenth Amendment.
Il am convinced, too, that what
ever changes may be made lin the
Volstead law will represent the sin
cere purpose of effective enforce.
ment, rather than moderation Of
the general policy.
The President replied in hot
fashion to Gov. Al Smith, of New
York, whose approval of the State
enforcement repeal law in New
York was based primarily upon the
sovereign rights of an individual
state to cooperate with the Govern
ment or not, as it chose.
Instead Of upholding State rights,
Harding declared, such action repre-
scented complete negation of State
rights
at is a curious illustration of
loose thinking" said the President.
people have proposed, as a means
to protecting the fullest rights of
the States. that the States should
abandon their part in enforcing pro.
hibition.
Invites L. S. Intervention.
THAT means simply an invita-.
ton to the Fede raj Government to
exercise powers which should be
exercised by the States.
Instead Of being an assertion
Of State rights, it is an abandon
ment OF them; il is an abdication
II amounts to a confession by the
State that 1t doesn't choose II
govern itself. but prefers to turn
the task, or a considerable part OF
It, over to Federal authority There
could be no more complete negation
Of STATE rights
President Harding fatty dened the
contention advanced by Governor
Smith and few other State execu.
ing the Volstead law rests with
Washington.
1.-THE fact is quite contrary" Hard
ing asserted. The Federal Govern
ment il not equipped with the In
strumentalities to make enforcement
locally effective. 1t does not main
tain either a police or a judicial ee
adjustment adequate to or designed
for such a task"
The Federal Government ought Il
perform only those functions in con
nection with enforcement which arr
within it's proper province, the Presi
Gent said. He enumerated the duties
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