The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1923-05-24
HARDING OPPOSES
DRY REPEAL
Replying to Suggestion That Con-
gress Gust Government in N.
r., He Sees Dangers.
STATES AND UNION CONFLICT
Repeal OF MuIIan-Gage Law, Treason
Appeal for Intervention Presl-
dent Declares His Administra-
ton Backs Enforcement

Newburgh, N. Repeal OF State
prohibition enforcement statutes is
likely to result in more or less con-
flict between State and Federal au-
thorities,' according to President
Harding. The views of the Chief
Executive with respect to State en-
forcement were expressed in letter
to Wesley Wait of this city just made
public.
Soon after the passage by the New
York Legislature Of the Cuvillier bill,
designed to repeal the Mullan-Gage
State dry enforcement law, Mr.. Wait
wrote to the President, urging that
Federal officials be prepared to take
immediate action in the event Gov.
Smith should sign the bill.
Every State official who voted for
this bill is subject to the law of trea-
son. having taken the oath to sustain
the Constitution of the United States"
Mr.. Waits letter said.
In this reply President Harding
wrote:
Pending the approval of the Cuvil-
lier bill by Gov. Smith this matter is
hardly to be regarded as having
reached the stage where any Federal
authority is called upon for a determi-
nation of ma tional policies. With
much of what you say am fully in
accord, Mr.. Lincoln said at the time
established, and accepted institution
throughout considerable part of the
Union, that the nation could not ex-
list half slave and half free. That ex-
preston has been accepted ever since
as presenting the obvious and con-
elusive logic of the situation which
then confronted the Union Certainly
it would have been still more i'm
pressive if there had been at that
time constitutional provision against
slavery IS there is now a constitu-
tiona provision against the liquor
traffic.
1.-THE nation has deliberately, after
many years of consideration, adopted
the present policy which is written
into the Eighteenth Amendment. 1t
is the law of the land and of every
State within the Union. So long as
1t remains the national policy there
can be only one course for the ma
tional Government to pursue. That is
Z to use every means to make effective
the law passed in compliance with
this constitutional mandate. To do
this will be the unquestioning policy
of the present Administration, and
may add that I am firmly convinced
that it must be the policy of other
Administrations shall come hereafter.
1.-THE Executive of the Nation and
equally the Executives of the States
are sworn to enforce the Constitution.
1t is difficult to believe that public ap-
proval will ever be given to any other
than policy of fully and literally
discharging this duty. 1t does not
seem fitting, however, to enter upon
discussion of situation which has
not yet arisen. 1t will be obvious that
many complex and extremely difficult
situations must arise If any of the
States shall decline to assume their
part of the responsibility of maintain
ing the Constitution and the laws en-
are equipped with police organizations
and judicial establishments adequate
to deal with such problems. The
Federal Government is not thus
equipped.
i venture that if by reason of the
refusal or failure of any State to dis
charge its proper duty in such CON
nection, the Federal Government is at
length compelled to enter upon the
territory and jurisdiction of the State
and to set up those police and judicial
authorities which would be required
the most difficult and trying situations
would inevitably arise More or less
conflict between State and Federal
authorities would seem unavoidable in
such circumstances. The impression
would be created that the Federal
Government was assuming to inter-
fere with the functions of the State. =
WOMEN TO UPHOLD LAWS