Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-06-02
Mu||an- Gage State En-
torcement Law Wiped
Off Statute Books By
His Act
Also Comes Out Flat
for Light Wines and
eer DenOunces
VOlstead Provision of
One-Half of One Per
Cent Alcoholic Con-
tent Wants Com
mon Sense" Maxi
mum '-..-

Albany. N. Y, June 1.-Governor
Smith this evening signed the legis-
lature's bill wiping the Mullan- Gage
state prohibition enforcement act of
the statute books.
And he went further. Accedius to
the urging of his friends that he
strike note in a campaign for the
return of light wines and beer, he
denounced the one half of one per
cent alcoholic beverage content pro-
vided in the Volstead act as "the
work Of fanatical drys" calling on
Congress to modify it to a common
sense" maximum, and then leave
each state free to set a figure be-
low that maximum if it so desires.
Il yield to no man in my rever-
ence and respect for the constitution
of the United States and / advocate
nothing which will infringe upon the
provisions of the Eighteenth
amendment" the governor said. 1T
is nevertheless a fact that the de-
finition of an intoxicating beverage
contained in the Volstead act is not
an honest or a common sense one.
public mind the impression that the
definition of an intoxicating bever-
age as containing not more than one
half of one per cent alcohol was
written by the fanatical drvs in de-
fiance of the general experience of
mankind and of "o.r"i fact 1t seems
to me that common sense. backed up
by good medical opinion can find a
more scientific definition of what
constitutes an Intoxicating bever-
age.
"Such definition should be adopt
ed by Congress as a proper and rea-
sonable amendment of the Volstead
act and a maximum alcoholic content
should be prescribed by Congress
which would limit all states to the
traffic in liquors which are in fact
Notwithstanding within the meaning
of the Eighteenth amendment. Sub
jcct to that imitation each state
should thereafter be left free to de-
eide for itself what should con.
stitute. an intoxicating beverage.
States which then wished to limit
traffic to beverages containing not
more than one half of one per cent
of alcohol would be free to do so
and those which desired to extend
the traffic to the maximum Limitation
allowed by federal statute would be
equally free to do So"
The governor emphasized, however,
that the mere repeal of the Mullan-
Gage act accomplished by it's sigma
ture, did not alter the effectiveness
of the Volstead act in its present
form as long as it stands unmodified
and served notice on all peace Of
ficers of the state that they would
be expected to enforce the Volstead
act to the strictest letter.
Thee governors action on the Null
Ian Gage repeater, which had been
heralded as the most momentous
matter affecting prohibition since
the adoption 'of the Volstead act, was
dramatic in its simplicity. -
Spmmoning into his office at six
o'clock, daylight saving time, the
army Of newspaper men who HAD
fumed about the state house all day.
he smilingly lifted a blotter FROM his
wet signature and said:
Boys, I have just approved the
bill"
Some of the "boys" made a break
for the door, but he called them
back to hand out copies of 300
word memorandum which he had
prepared to 60 with the announce
ment. -