Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-05-13
Declares Complete En-
forcement Is in Sight
Views of Butler
Cannot Prevail and
Will Not Influence
Appreciable Number
Neither Party Will
Dare Put Wet Plank
in Platform

New York, May 12-Charles w.
Eliot, president-emeritus Of Harvard
University, today took issue with re-
cent declarations of Nicholas MUIR
ray Butler, president OF Columbia
University, to the effect that prohi-
bition was failure because the laws
were too drastic.
DR.. Eliot asserted that complete
prohibition enforcement was in
sight; that DR.. Buffers statements
would neither dishearten the drys
nor bring reinforcements to the
vets: and that neither the Repub-
lican nor Democratic party would
dare, much less be compelled. to
spike wet plank to the presidential
campaign platform.
DR.. Eliots views were set forth
in a letter written at Cambridge.
Mass, to Fred b. Smith of New
York City, chairman of the commit
fee of 1000 for law enforcement. 1t
was the first response to the circu-
lar sent $50 college presidents. Aft
or DR.. Butler recently appeared be-
fore the Missouri Society as an ad-
yocate of the enactment OF national
prohibition laws less drastic than
the Volstead act and the eighteenth
amendment. You tell me-" wrote
Mr.. Eliot. that the citizens COM
mittee of 1000 believe that IL the
statement made by President Mich
olas Murray Butler goes unchal-
lenged 1T will have three very bad
will encourage ne0-
pie to violate the prohibition law
and other laws: secondly, 1t will dis
bearten the students of American
universities in their efforts to en-
force prohibition legislation on uni
versity premises: thirdly, 1t will an
nounce to the whole world that
American constitutional government
has failed In my opinion Presi-
dent Buffers statement will have no
such effects. 1t will not increase
the number of vets in the United
States: 1t will dishearten no dry
Students; and 1t has no tendency
whatever to prove that American
constitutional government has failed.
You asked me for a concise
statement of tho attitude OF our ed
ucators' towards the eighteenth
amendment and the Volstead act.
OF course. l have no authority to
speak for our educators; but l am
glad to have this opportunity to ex-
press three opinions, my own opin-
ions, as follows:
AN overwhelming majority or
the teachers and educators of our
country believe in bringing up all
children not to use alcohol IN any
form for the sake OF their own
health and of the public health.
The testimony now being given
by manufacturers, physicians, nurses
and social workers as to the I'M
provement in the condition or the
population at large which has taken
place since the eighteenth amend
ment was adopted Is so potent that
It will soon convince the great ma
jority of the American population,
both native and foreign. that the
complete disuse of alcoholic drinks
will result in enormous benefits to
any people that accomplishes 1t.
THE prohibitory legislation Is
being better and better enforced:
and its complete enforcement will
follow after a time upon the APP
pointment of enforcing officers on
the merit system instead OF the
'spoils' system.
Neither the Republican nor the
Democratic party will venture to put
a wet plank into its party platform
at the coming presidential election.
Even the wettest of the politicians
see tho strong trend of public opin-
ion towards the enforcement OF all
the laws against the manufacture
and sale of alcoholic drinks"