New Britain herald., 1924-09-18

edged, by custom or otherwise the right of the government to regulate their morals any more than the right, by some inconceivable method of invading their thoughts, to set boundaries within which their con science might be freei Nor does a government ordinarily pursue such a policy, It is only when fanaticism, in either a mild or virulent form. takes its hold on the mind of the' reignlng power that the assumption of control over the morals of the people Is manifested. And this fan- aticism usually arises from those with high ideals and lofty aims, as Is the case with the sincere 'prohibi- tionists. Yet everywhere and always failure follows infallibly in the wake of such tactics. The pages of his- tory team with instances where the force of law and the might of gov ernment have been applied, not to make men bad but to make them good. To crush Christianity, to make its disciples virtuous in the light, of pagan religion, every pow CT of the Roman Empire was em- ployed. Yet Christianity f,ourished and grew, The torture of the Inqui- sition, with its spike. rack, and thpmb-screw, failed in its object, and the dissenters increased in num- bers. With all the might of goy- ernmental forces, there never has been an instance where 1t has con- trolled a single human passion.
 Obviously there is but one meth cd by which any people may mani fest their disapproval of a morals regulating statute. That method is to continue the action sought to be eliminated and controlled. In other words, 1t is disrespect for and a violation of the law. That the pro- hibition law attempts to regulate the morals of the people is not open to question. If our premises are cor rect, therefore, that morals cannot be regulated by law, and if our peo- pie possess those same human quali- ties that every human being up 10 this good hour has always possessed. then we might expect an universal antipathy toward the law and a constant violation of it. Such, in deed, are the facts.
 Immediately upon the adoption of the Eighteen Amendment, the pro- hibitionists proclaimed that a new era was about to fall upon the United States, and never were truer words spoken. Never before has there been such an orgy of law vlo- lations, never such a disrespect for constituted authority, as their pro- hibitory ideas have brought about.
 l am more interested in. the pre- servation of the remaining shreds of freedom than I am in prohibition. The machinery of government hand ed down by the fathers has greater significance than fantical and fan tastical falIacies to make mankind lsober by law. To continue this present policy IS 10 continue to un- derrnine the moral fibre of our peo- pie. To shout Law and Order does not bestow a divinely appoint ed monopoly of patriotism upon the promibitionists In 1776. the Tories were uttering similar cries.
 An intelligent modification of the terms of the Volstead Act to permit again the use of wholesome brew and beverage will eliminate much oi the open and clandestine violation of law with which everyone is all toe familiar.
 Whatever may be the cause, { well-developed spirit of unrest 1, prevalent throughout the country From the very beginning, the policy of government has been developed