Evening star., 1923-10-20
STATES MUST ENFORCE
DRY LAW, BUT U. S. WILL
ASSIST, SAYS COOLIDGE
ext of Address
By President to
Governors Here

speech at the governors conference tC
day follows:
1t is my peculiar privilege to
welcome you here as one who, by
experience, can look at your prob
lens with that sympathy which
comes from common fellowship.
The governorship OF a sovereign
state of our nation is an exalted
position. 1t outranks. within its
own Jurisdiction, with a single ex-
ception, every other Office in Amer
lea. 1t is the very greatest honor
that state can bestow. A gath
ering of governors has 4 signifi-
cance greater than any other un-
official convocation that can be
held in the United States.
1t would be only a matter of
large public Importance ffat could
justify gathering of the chief
executives of the states and the
nation for a conference at Wash
lngton. You have been invited here
that l might lay before you some
OF the problems for better en-
forcement of law. a statement of
the purpose is sufficient to indi-
cate the Importance, for a govern-l
" hICh uOeS not EEIOTCc It's
laws is unworthy of the name of
government, and cannot expect
to hold either the support of its
own citizens or the respect Of the
informed opinion of the world.
That ours is n dual system of
administration does not need TO
be explained in this presence. Joint
powers and joint responsibilities ex-
ist which can best be exercised and
discharged by joint action.
Restriction of Aliens.
While certain classes of aliens,
easily distinguiShabla, have been
excluded from this country Tor a
considerable length of time. n gen
eral policy of restricting immigra-
ton. broadly inclusive, has only
recently been adopted. The new
law admits approximately 100000
aliens, or about one-third of the
number coming in annually under
the old law before the war. On
the other hand, the number de-
string to enter is now much larger
and attempts to evade the law
have greatly increased. 1t is eSti-
mated by the Department of Labor
that there is Seepage ever the
border and through the ports of
about loo, 900, which is 4 consider
able menace to the success of our
immigration policy. Such an in
fuX of persons, entering the coun-
try in violation Of the law. can
not fail to attract the attention OF
local police authorities along our
borders and on our sea coasts, VINO
can be of very great assistance 81
notifying the local representatives
of the Department of justice. OF
the Department of Labor, in order
that such persons may the more
readily be excluded and deported.
Another problem exists, which Is
world wide in some of its aspects.
1t is considered of such impor-
tance to our own welfare that spe-
cial representative of this coun-
try attended, when the league OF
nations recently considered the
regulation of the opium traffic,
wSare their efforts met with large
success. The national laws and
the laws of most of the states reg
ulate the sale of narcotic drugs.
Their use, except under the dlrec-
ton of competent medical advice,
is everywhere regarded as attend
ed with grave danger, usually re
sulting in lamentable disaster.
The effective protection of the
people from these results depends
on our ability to prevent the SNUG
Cling and unlawful sale of such
narcotics. Their use is in part,
perhaps due to physical disease.
and, in part, to lack of moral stam-
ina, but their abuse is almost
wholly a result of violations of
the law. If the law can be en-
forced, medical science would very
soon rid the country of this mem
ace. This traffic is carried on Sc
cretly and evasively. 1t can only
be detected and eradicated through
a system of local inspectors and
police. The national secret serv-
ice and enforcement officers can
q
wholesalers, but the peddlers and
retailers cannot successfully be
suppressed without the assistance
of state and municipal police.
Problem of Dry Law.
The other problem which 1 wish
to lay before you is that of in
toxicating liquors. The eighteenth
amendment was proposed by the
Congress in 1917, and its ratifica-
tion proclaimed In January, 1919.
1t prohibits the manufacture, sale
or transportation and the impor-
tation and expectation of intoXi-
eating liquors for beverage pur-
poses, and confers upon the Con-
gress and the several states con-
current power to enact enforce
ment legislation. This power was
exercised by the Congress in the
national prohibition act, which
was finally passed in October, 1919,
two-thirds of the House of Repre-.
sentatiyes and Senate present hav-
ing voted in the affirmative. Sub
stantially all of the states have
likewise passed enforcing acts un-
der the authority of the eighteenth
amendment. In all of the states
there had long been laws regulat-
0f ;r,f n 1innnTS
and in many of the states proh1bl-
tion had already been adopted.
Neither the amendment nor the
prohibition act undertakes to re-
ieve the states of their respon-
sibility relative to Intoxicating
liquors, but, on the other hand,
the amendment confers jurisdiction
upon them, and the prohibition act
authorizes state and local prose-
cutting attorneys to bring injunc-
ton proceedings in any court hav-
ing equity powers in the name OF
the United States.
The national prohibition act
places the duty of its enforcement
on the commissioner of internal
revenue, his assistants, agents
and inspectors. In accordance
Herewith, there is an assistant
commissioner in direct charge of
prohibition enforcement, and there
are prohibition agents and in
spectors in each state. Corre-
spending provisions will be found
in nearly all state laws.
The Constitution and the laws of
the nation and of the several
states are binding alike upon all
the inhabitants. 1t is the Constitu-
tion which we have given our
-oaths to support-the Constitution
which requires Of the President
that "he shall take care that the
laws be faithfully executed; and
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