San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-10-21
Attempt to Obtain Coop
Grafton Of States Un-
precedented.
FAIL ODO THEIR DUTY
Law Enforcement Publicity
Purpose of Cover
nors' Meeting.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.


Copyright, by The San Antonio Light
Washington, ID. c., Oct. 2O.-Un
precedented in American history i
the effort formally made today by tn
government to obtain the cooperation
OF the several states in law enforce
ment.
Called into conference originally b.
the late President Harding and nov
asked by President Coolidge again il
the name of the federal authority t.
help execute the prohibition laws, thu
outstanding fact of the session here
is that the states have failed TO d.
their duty.
Whatever else the effect of the con
ference may be, one fact has already
been emphasized above all Others, that
the federal government considers itself
almost powerless TO enforce prohibi
tion unless the states bring TO bear
their hundreds of thousands of police
officers and their scores of prosecut-
ing attorneys and local judges.
Originally the trainers of the consti-
tuition of the United States gave the
police authority. the power to punish
crime and regulate individual conduct
10 the states.
For. decades the states have jeal-
ousy guarded that police power.
They yielded reluctantly and in
small pieces until the eighteenth
amendment came before them when
by ratifying the amendment. they
openly entered into partnership
with the federal government to en-
force the liquor laws that might be
made.
The phrase concurrent jurisdic-
ton" was inserted in the eighteenth
amendment, because the advocates OF
prohibition felt. after years of expe-
rience, that the interstate traffic in
liquors could only be regulated by fed
eral law.
But the testimony of the governors
attending the conference is that con
ditions in many states have grown
worse instead of better since the
eighteenth amendment was adopted
and that the need for effective en-
forcement is greater since the supply
OF intoxicating liquors have been re-
duced.
Governors Want Help.
The governors DO not like to adj
nit that the difficulties are purely
local and that they cannot always b
sure Of grand jury that is dry" o.
of a prosecuting attorney who is il
sympathy with the prohibition
statutes.
SO the governors are somewhat in
clined TO feel that the federal govern
nent should HELM by more effectiv,
enforcement Of the provisions of the
existing federal statutes relating tC
importation and smuggling md IN
TRANSFORMATION trains and other vehi.
cles from one state to another.
Tnquestionablv the federal govern
ment has not obtained all the results
it has desired with reference to the
patrol of the large coast lines of the
United States nor has il been rs et-
fective rs the prohbitionists would
like to see it become in respect of the
northern boundary at Canada or the
southern boundary Mt Mexico.
The state executives naturally take
the position that if the federal gov
eminent stopped importations aud in.
terstate commerce in liquor the nroh.
lem Of the individual states would be
easier 10 solve.
The federal authorities. however.
take the view that the important thing
is 10 catch the local bOOtlecgrr" and
make an example of him by severe
punishment.
Some states have been too much in
clined n let the federal cOnrts handle
prosecutions with the result that tho
dockets of the federal courts. which
have other important cases to try. arc
congested and almost helpless to cope