The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-06-09
TOO SEVERE
LAWS DUE TO
BE. REPEALED
Reaction Setting in Against
Hysteria of Regulating
EverybOdy's Business
BY CHARLES p. STEWART
NEA Service Writer

Washington, June Washing
ton. as nation law making he I'D
quarters, senses popular rea,
tion setting in against the last few
vars hysteria OF regulating every
body's personal habits. conduct,
morals, even thought. by statute.
You hear politicians, whose bust
ress is to keep in touch with pub
lie sentiment throughout the coun-
try, constantly referring 20 a grow
ing resentment among the people
against so much legislation.
The consensus of political Coin-
ion is that puritanism has over
reached itself.
Up to a certain point the average
American, something Of pur. an
himself. might have stood it in.
definitely. But the ultra-puritans
kept at it unt.i they'd pass t.at
point-far and away.
The average Americana great
many OF him, anyways sick or
it, and now he's making up his
mind TO get rio OF lot of re-
straints that otherwise perhaps
he'd have submitted to. That's
the politicians diagnosis. at all
events.
Lately the tendency away from
restrictive laws has been fastened
by few developments which made
them ride u.ous. The prolonged
failure CT prohibition to prohibit
Wa weighing heavily already.
Then came the coast guards
violent outburst Of activity against
rum smuggling, exciting, at the
same time, considerable indigna'
ton over the proL.giOus expense
involved, and vast amount OF
ninth at the entire absence OF any
result that liquor consumers are
able to discern.
The stampede from Detroit TO
Windsor. Ontario, on the resWmp-
ton OF beer selling there. caused a
laugh Recent gestures by the
anti obacconists caused another.
= The attempt in the Florida legis-
loture to outlaw the word flap
per" caused u third. TENNESSEE
arti- evolution case is helping lib
erllian notably.
Friends Of the rejected child la
Dor amem 'lnent to the constitution
lay their defeat to anti-regulation
feeling. i'lhpM undue F-stricMon
OF parents. in the upbripging OF
their children, was the amend
ment's purpose il denied, but that
it was so interpreted Is obvious
it's admitted.
The propositions supporters
also made what they concede now
was the mistake OF maintaining
that society's rights over the child
are superior to the parents.
AN attempt to carry state die
tation right into the home!" was
the popular verdict. Forthwith!
the amendment was turned dow
overwhelmingly.
Leading drys read the signs Of
the times clearly. Fully aware OF
the threat, that "anti-ism" is going
to be turned into a joke by those
who seek to oveIdo it. Genera
Wayne B. Wheeler Of the Anti
Saloon League emphatically repu-
dates any antipathies but the
leagues own.
1t is. he says, anti-nothing ex
cept the saloon. Secretary Deets
Pickett of the Methodist EpiscOpa
Board of Temperance, Prohibition
and Public Morals is ON record as
knowing OF nobody outside lun
attic asylum who favors tobacco
prohibition"
II the politicians guess right
there's likely to be a decided
loosening of regulative strings
when Congress and the various
state legislatures meet nex..
Few Of the politicians them
selves are enthusiastic regulators
They passed the laws they though
the voters wanted and Will repea
them as readily il they think tn
voters wan. that.
Prohibition. to be sure, won
be so easy to handle. The eight
zenith amendment probably can
be wiped from the constitution 10
q long time.
But the Volstead law can b.
changed and the amendment con
a:deraa..y modified by legal defini
ton. The drys think the supreme
court would call this uncOn2.itu
tiOnal but the vets doubt it.
Anyway. they point out, tn
laws repeal would leave tn
amendment ineffective and there
no question concerning Congress
right to repeal it.