Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-10-23
ENFORCE PROHIBITION LAW
COOLIDGE TELLS GOVERNORS
Text OF the Presidents
Address to Governors

Of the nation and of the several
states, are binding alike upon all
the inhabitants. 1t is the con-
stitution which we have given
our oaths to support-the con-
stitution which requires of the
president that he shall take care
that the laws be faithfully exc
cuted;' and the state constitu-
tions lay a similar obligation
upon their governors.
The constitution and the laws
are perfectly plain, and the d.
rections which they contain to
the president, and the governors,
are. equally plain. The country
ought to know all this. It ought
to understand just what duties
the laws have imposed. 1t ought
to comprehend that when laws
have been made there is, and
can be, no question about the
duty of executives to enforce
them with such instruments, and
by such means, as the law pro.
Vides for securing enforcement.
They have no alternative. They
cannot be criticized for doing
their duty. This is not a po-
litical question; it cannot be
made a political question. If
there be any principle which
has been established by time, by
common consent, by the unquali-
fled association of fundamental
and statute law is that eXecu.
tives are the law-enforcing Of
ficers of this nation. If this
were not so, there would be no
warrant for the present gather
ing. l can conceive but one
opinion on this, in which every
responsible element must concur.
No provision Of the eighteenth
amendment, or the national pro-
hopltlon act, contemplates any
surrender of state responsibility.
Under them prohibition becomes
obligatory in all states, for the
constitution and the laws made
IN pursuance thereof are specifi-
cally declared, by the federal con-
stltutlon, to be the supreme law
or the land. They are binding
upon every inhabitant. But
there still remains to the states
the power, specifically reserved
III the eighteenth amendment, to
pass enforcing acts, and there is
SUN on them a joint responsible
lty TO enact and execute enforce.
ment laws, which may not al
ways be exercised, but which can
never be avoided.
Issue With the People
Inc Complementary duty to en-.
Iorcement of the law is obedience
70 the law. That rests with the
people themselves. The eigh.
teenth amendment pl ohibits man.
fracture, transportation, sale.
export and import. These are
the commercial activities. Trade
in Intoxicating liquors, for bev.
craze purposes,a is especially de-
nounced. 1t is in this field that
most of the difficulty exists. The
main problem arises from those
who are bent on making money
by an illegal traffic in intoxicat.
ing liquors. If this could be elm.
mated, the rest would be easy.
These problems must be taken
directly to the American people.
This government is their gov.
ernment; these laws are their
laws. They have formed their
government and enacted their
laws, with all due s0lemnity, to
promote their welfare and pro-
tect their liberties. They are not
a nation of inebriates; they are
not people who can be charged
with being hypocrites. They
are a sober. frank and candid
people. They have respect and
reverence for duly constituted
authority To them the law is
rule of action. Those funda-
mental national CT racteristics
are not going to be changed.
These fundamental conceptions
are going to remain permanent.
The great body Of the people
are thoroughly law abiding. This
great law-abiding element of the
nation is entitled to support and
protection l propose to give
that support and protection to
the limit, against every lawless
element. The executives are re-
quired to enforce the law. The
machinery for the enforcement
of the law is that supplied by the
acts of congress and the acts Of
the state legislatures. That ma
Chinery must be used to the full
extent of its capacity to secure
the enforcement of the law. 1t
is certainly my own purpose so to
use it. The people are going to
continue to yield obedience to
The law. This principle will con-
tinue to prevail, whenever the
American people shall pass iudg-
ment upon it, because it is the
foundation Of all their institu-
tons.
We can only make progress
with these problems by their
frank and candid consideration.
They are not going to be decided
by prejudice They are not
going to be. answered as a re-
suit Of political intrigue.
They are not going to be de-
termined by extremists on either
side. They are not going to be
solved in accordance with any
sCtdid motive. They will yield
to the calm and clear judgment
of the main people, through a de-
ternined expression of their high
moral purpose. The law rep
resents the voice Of the people.
Behind it and supporting it, is a
divine sanction.
Enforcement of law and obed-
dience to law, by the very nature
of oI1r inStitIIfiOnS are not mat
ters OF choice in this republic,
but the expression Of a moral re-
quirement of living in accordance
with the truth. They are clothed
with a spiritual significance, in
which is revealed the life or the
death of the American ideal of
seif-government.