Evening star., 1923-05-14
DRYS TO CONTINUE
FIGHT IN NEW YORK
Claim Law Repeal Is Set
back, But Offset by Many
Victories.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Enough time has elapsed for the
prohibition authorities here to size
up, to their own satisfaction, at least,
the effect of what has been termed
New York's secession from the
Union" through the repeal of the
Mullan-Gage law.
Official Washington takes for grant
ed that Gov. "Al' Smith. democrat
VIII sign the repeal measure, and
that the maneuvers of delay are
merely outward gestures of delibera-
ton. for the wet" strength which
brought about the democratic victory
in the Empire state last autumn ie
not forgotten. The feeling is that
the bill is as good as repealed now.
Prohibition Commissioner Haynes
says that people in the prohibition
fight must learn to look at things
tories and defeats in the legislative
season just closed is about 20 to ! in
favor of prohibition. Twenty one
states either revised or amended their
local laws with respect to prohibition
enforcement. and all but New York
put teeth in existing laws.
Got Little Help.
New York has never been consider
ed by the prohibition forces as con-
quered territory anyhow. Mr.. Haynes
says he got relatively little CO.
operation from the New York state
officials and police before the Mullan-
Gage repeal controversy started and
that from practical standpoint
therefore. the federal government
Will have to continue to do the bulk
of the job in enforcing the Nolstead
act. the provisions OF which still
stand irrespective of the wiping out
of state statutes.
But the federal machinery has been,
and is. inadequate to handle prohibit
ton enforcement in the most populous
state of the Union. In fact the
sponsors of the eighteenth amend
ment never dreamed that prohibit lion
could be enforced by the federal gov
ernment without the cooperation of
the states. That's why they wrote
the words concurrent jurisdiction"
in the eighteenth amendment itself.
For all practical purposes, therefore.
New York will continue to be as wet
spot as there is in America unless
the fight in the next Legislature turns
the tide in the other direction.
The prohibition forces will not
cease their work, but will redoublc
the effort in the next session of New
York's legislature, hoping in the in
votes to their side to wipe out the
narrow margin by which the repeal
was accomplished.
To Concentrate Strength.
New York's handling of the Mullan-
Gage law is not being considered as
local affair, but a national job. and the
entire strength of the prohibition move
ment will be concentrated on New York
to bring it back in line. This in itself
is an admission that the action of New
York's legislature has had a nationwide
significance.
Friends Of prohibition have been given
cause for worry whether the movement
was losing ground in the east while
the "wets" have been encouraged to
believe that the example of New York
will be sufficiently impressive as to
prove that when it comes to enforce
ment legislation, New York state will
take leaf out of the book of those
southern states that have never made
effective by legislation the amendments
of the federal Constitution designed to
permit the negro to vote.
To the extent that New York has