Evening star., 1924-05-15

AS President of Columbia Unfver-
sity, and national leader of public
opinion, DR.. Nicholas Murray Butler
has certainly attracted widespread
interest by his fervent appeal to men
and women of religious faith, of
moral principle and public spirit" to
strike the eighteenth amendment
from the Constitution. Editors nat
ura1ly commend or criticize his at
tack. according to their views on pro-
hibition. The majority regard it as
chiefly significant on account Of the
position DR.. Butler occupies
His conclusion that the Vo1stead
act is unenforceable, and, therefore,
of the confirmed lawbreaker and
might apply with equal force to the
law against murder, criminal con-
spiracy and other acts that daily
adorn the criminal calendar" in the
opinion of the Salt Lake Deseret News,
which feels that 'aside from the bad
taste displayed by a man in his posi-
ton in thus publicly expressing him
self on this issue, DIR. Butler has done
jury and in a measure has untitled
himself for the high educational sta
tion he now occupies" The Savan-
nah Press declares, "He has heartened
every liquor man and bootlegger in
America He has done something
splendid. He has sounded the dis
cordant note which will be regretted
by every churchman and by every
statesman in America" The words
man of DR.. Buffers probity," con-
cedes the Reading Tribune, which
says "they indicated a sudden turning
from the snug attitude of his repub-
lican party to the liberal position
held by a few of the Tammany ad-
poses to appeal to the churches for
assistance in that movement, the
Pittsburgh Gazette-Times considers,
his zeal would appear to have mud
died his judgment; also when he
predicts that the amendment will be
repealed within five years he gives
indication that his enthusiasm has
run away with his sanity" The Bos-
ton Transcript also believes the re-
peal is very unlikely.
X x X *
Although admitting it would be
misstatement of facts to say the Vol
stead law is not being disregarded, the
Nashville Banner maintains ito wave
the whole thing is a failure and must
be repealed is by no means the part
of sound and rational citizenship"
because prohibition is satisfactory
to the great majority-to the man of
vision, and his name is legion, it
stands forth as the most constructive
step of modern times, and as g bless
ing to posterity which is worth fight
ing for" The Grand Rapids Herald
agrees "it would be silly to blind our
selves to the flaws in enabling 1egis-
lation under the eighteenth amend
ment, but it would be equally silly to
capitalize these flaws into the wet
conclusion that the eighteenth amend
ment deserves either repeal or repu-
diation or emasculation." As the Du-
Iuth News-Tribune sees 1t, ''the But
Ter incident permits the vets to blow
off a little surplus steam, but it is
doubtful if 1t will have any greater
Importance"
When he intimates that ''the i'm
portant men Of the country are all
law violators, DR.. Butler leaves COM
mon folk to draw this sinister inter-
pretation," according to the Lincoln
State Journal, which insists "such
Important to overlook" and 'Dr. But
Ter should be required to prove them,
or, falling in this, to retract them"
The Lansing State Journal claims
is but another illustration Of many
Tendencies of modern education, the
radical attitude taken by SO many
college heads and professors" Is 1t
possible. e1elaims the Spokane
cannot see that his attack upon the
Constitution and the law will be
seized upon and quoted by rum-run-
ners, bootleggers, moonshine makers
and keepe<s ef laX ana yits resorts a.