Evening star., 1923-10-20
The Supreme Question.

On the eve of their visit to Wash
ington for White House conference
the governors of the states, assembled
at West Baden, Ind, voted almost
unanimously to indorse national pro-
hibition, and to pledge to President
Coolidge their fullest cooperation" in
the enforcement of the Volstead act.
This is departure from the traditions
of the governors conferences, which
have now been maintained for fifteen
years.
This action is a climax to a move
ment that has been in progress for
some time looking to the redemption
of the law from the assaults made
upon it. The question at issue is not
prohibition, but the supremacy of the
law. 1t is not whether people may or
may not have liquor to drink, but
whether there is force and vitality in
the mandates of state and federal
legislation which have become the sub
stantive law Of the land.
The governors, by close approach to
unanimity, have declared: "Observ-
ance of law is the fundamental basis
of American citizenship, and enforce
ment of law is the primary duty of
every official" There can be no dis
sent from this proposition. There
should be no avoidance of it by dis.
stimulation.
If the people of the United States
will not accept this declaration of the
governors as substantially sound they
are. indeed, in the way of undermining
the foundations Of the government. If
the prohibition amendment and en-
forcement law can be evaded and vio-
lated with impunity other laws can be
similarly set aside. The guarantees of
government are weakened, are men,
aced.
Enforcement is demanded and is
pledged now by the executives of the
states who met in Indiana, and who
will today confer with the President
They are in a position to do much to-
ward carrying out the purposes of the
law. They can reinforce the federal
agencies. They can cooperate with the
federal government. They can demon
strate that the states are part of the
Union.
This governors conference is not, to
be sure, an official organization. 1t has
no defined status. 1t is virtually a
voluntary organization. Its declara-
tions have no force of law, but are
merely the expression of sentiment.
Yet when a majority of the state
executives formally pledge themselves
to law enforcement, and call upon a
nationwide cooperation to that end,
they speak for the people of their
states, and, it may not be questioned,
for a majority of the people Of the
whole country.
The time has passed for recrimina-
tions on the score Of reinforcement,
for fault-finding and bestowal of blame
for the present scandalous condition,
of law-defiance. The present duty is
to put to a definite test the citizenship
Of the American people, to the end of
determining whether they are law
abiding or lawbreaking. 1t matters not
whether the law that is in question is
that for prohibition, or that against
murder, or that against theft. 1t is the
law, formally and fairly and openly
enacted, by the voice of the people, in
accordance with all the forms provided
in the Constitution. 1t may be re-
pealed by those same processes, if the
people will. Until repealed it must be
observed, whatever the cost of enforce
ment, whatever the pain, If this coun.
try is to retain it's status as an organ.
ized government.