Evening star., 1923-07-03
BY THE MARaUIsE DE FoNrENoY.

Chief Justice Of the Supreme Court
William Howard Taft contributes a
remarkable preface to the new book
Of his friend. Lord Shaw, justice of
the supreme court of appeals, not
only Of the United Kingdom, but also
of the entire British empire, entitled
The Law of Kinsmen." The preface
contains some weighty utterances on
the present state and the conse-
quences Of prohibition in America,
and coming, as they do, from the
head of the most august tribunal of
the new world, and from one of the
most popular statesmen who ever
filled the office of President of the
United States, they are naturally at
tracing much attention abroad.
The Chief Justice mentions that he
was strongly opposed" to prohibi-
tion. He feared the decentralization
of law, the disturbance of balance be-
tween national and state powers of
the American system and electoral
confusion. and declares that these
fears have been realized only too
fully" He deplores the present lack
sists that the special promoting cause
of lawlessness is to be found in pro-
hibition.
'In the colder. calmer state Of the
public mind, the reform is found to
be at variance with the habits of
many of our people. especially in the
large cities. and in the outset the
law has become most difficult to en-
force. The most distressing
system, however, is the attitude of
some wellto-do and Intelligent peo-
pie, who protest against the justice
and wisdom of the law, and who treat
with levity its violations when such
violations serve to furnish them the
wines and liquors they wish to have
for their own enjoyment. The diff
ference between the fundamental
law and the government enforcing it
on the one hand and a group of such
well-to-do men and women, usually
an element of strength in enforcing
law on the other, is demoralizing. 1t
enlarges the criminal classes by re-
cruits led to join their ranks through
the lax, apologetic and conniving at
titude of respectable people to this
unlawful but lucrative trade"
X X X
Chief Justice Taft predicts that if
the continuance or abolition of prohi-
bition were presented to the country
as a broad issue, fully 80 per cent
would be for its continuance. and not
more than 10 per cent for its aboli-
ton. Under the circumstances he
takes the ground that repeal of pro-
hibition must be regarded as simply
impossible" and advocates enforce
ment of the law and the ceasing of all
further protest against it's enactment.
For he sees in the violation of the
prohibition law a far worse evil than
the alteration of the lawmakers in its
enactment.
Nowhere do the utterances of Will
liam Howard Taft, in his capacity as
Chief Justice Of the United States
and as the former President of the
republic, command a greater amount
the effect of his weighty foreword to
Lord Shaw's new book, "On the Fell
lowship of Law will do more to
convince the people of the British
empire of the permanency of prohibit
tion in America, as an institution that
has come to stay, instead of q mere
temporary measure, and passing af-
Fiction as so many hove believed on
both sides of the Atlantic, than this
declaration so to speak ex-cathedra,
ing exponent Of American law.
n X X X
The unveiling the other day, by the
lord mayor of London in the Royal
Exchange of life-sized portrait of
the eminent eighteenth century bank
er, Abel Smith,. presented to the city
of London by his descendants, was
more than a mere civic
function in which all the municipal
dignitaries of the British metropolis
hook part. 1t was an act of tardy
on the part of old Abel
.Nnith's descendants to the founder
\ their house, for their snobbish
, thndonment of his name as not suf-
Emily aristocratic.
|. Nd Abel Smith. head of the even at
IN time ancient Nottingham Bank
. OF amuel Smith & Sons, and who
! Dro;ht the great London bank of
/ Smi Payne & Smith into existence
IN n, was the banker of the Pitts
ana financial power in England
durln.he administration of the great
Lora Ntham, and of his still more
ceieorM son, Premier billie" Pitt. |
: When latter demanded that Abel
: Smitn I'd then the latters son
RoDers suid be raised to the house
OF ioros eminent financial services
,uient 70 tne he encountered the most