The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1926-02-12
Prohibition
Referendum
PascOe Resolution Seems to Be
Gaining Strength in
Legislature.
Propose Dry Law Change
Dry Forces Have Plans to Add
Strength to State Enforce
ment-BishOps Differ-Hard
Fight Ahead.

right AnedQ.
arises in it's path there is almost GER
tain success for the Pascoe resolution
providing for State referendum on
prohibition in New Jersey.
Pascoe is one of the Republican
leaders of the Assembly. He comes
from Union county, which gave a large
majority for Whitney in the recent
election and in almost all State cleo
lions show tendency toward dry ma
jorities, although it failed to record
such a lead for it's own son, Senator
Runyon, in the battle for Governor
three years ago. Pascoe has been one
of the Runyon supporters and was
back of United States Senator Fire.
linghuysen in his unsuccessful cam
paign for reelection on dry platform
in 1922.
When the Pascoe resolution was
first offered two weeks ago and refer
red to the Judiciary committee there
appeared no more chance for it than
an icicle in blast furnace. Since
then it's chances appear better. Mem
bers from presumably dry counties
have expressed their purpose to sup
port it on the ground that it will afford
the people opportunity to be heard
direct upon question which has at
fected the elections in the State ever
since the Volstead act was supposed
to have gone into effect.
Vets and drys alike are girding for
the fight which now seems inevitable.
In the main the dry forces will be
on the defensive, but not altogether so,
as the Anti-Saloon League has some
amendments it would like to see pass
ed 20 strengthen the present State en-
forcement act. One of these, ratified
at the mass-meeting held last week
under the auspices of the league,
would compel the removal of screens
TO present a clear view OF the interiors
of all places where beverages are sold.
Several bills have been introduced
looking toward the modification or re-
peal of the State enforcement law, but
as usual they are doomed to fall by
the wayside The real fight will be
over the question of a referendum to
determine public sentiment i'll New
Jersey with reference to prohibition
and it's enforcement.
Senator Simpson, Democratic leader
has a similar measure ready for intro
duction, but does not intend to offer it
!. Il the. Republican majority indicates
ilIghgffess Is BRING tf5 quesrfUE TO u
vote. In hat event Senator Simpson
says he will join with his Republican
colleagues.
The panagers of the Anti-Saloon
League are unyielding in their opposl-
ton to any modification legislation or
to a referendum measure. The league
has successfully fought a referendum
= on prohibition in New Jersey since
1915 and is..not going to hazard test
on the popularity of it's cause now, II
it cali be avoided. Although the league
has always maintained that the major
ity of persons in the State are for pro-
hibition, it does not base it's opposi-
ton to referendum on that ground.
The position of the league is that
the Eighteenth Amendment is per-
manent fixture in the Constitution, and
that no State, even if it desired, could
pass and sustain a law at variance
with that. passed by Congress, regulat-
ing the maximum alcoholic content OF
beverages.
Defeat Likely in Senate.
1t is easily possible that the House
may pass the Pascoe bill, but there is
slim chance for success in the Senate,
notwithstanding the backing OF so
powerful a Republican as Senator Har-
rison, whose plan has the approval of
number of members of the Republic
can State Committee. Republican Sen
ators from the rural counties in both
the southern and northern sections OF
the State are pledged to prohibition,
and only two Democratic votes would
be given a referendum proposal. AS
the Senate stands, therefore, refer
endum bill probably would have the
support of a few Senators from the
more populous counties and the undi-
vided opposition of the Senators from
strictly rural communities.