Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-04-22
Personal Liberty
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before it; that Is, the public opinion of
that quiet majority which has little to
say. but acts and votes.
Convinced that intoxicating drink
ID q menace to domestic happiness, in
dustrial progress and public safety,
this quiet. majority will, believe,
never let 60 the law which seeks to
protect the home and the nation. - .
Il ask you to beware of making the
18th amendment responsible for all the
disorganizinz influences since the war.
In the first place. it Is quite clear from
any calm survey of facts and figures
that crime Is not increasing in this
country ut any perceptible rate. This
is q tribute to our people, for ordina-
rily q great war is followed by an
enormous increase in wickedness. .
The undoubted evils following every
great war are all too obviously with
us. 1t is neither intelligent nor hon.
est to blame the 18th amendment for
their presence.
Worst of all, in the mad rush to be
popular and therefore to yield to the
drift Of certain urgent propagandists.
some of those who should be counted
upon to show youth q way Of eff.
cheney and power are needlessly weak
ening the resistance Of many OF our
best youth, both men and women.
believe in the vigor and honor OF
the younger generation. 1t is instinct
with promise of noble leadership
mental. moral, spiritual. This oncom-
ing generation has right to the finest
which the elder generation can give
it. 1t will be TO our shame If we
hinder its ideals; II Will be to our glory
If We help and encourage the very best.
There are difiiculties enough in this
perplexing problem of the 18th amend
ment without trying to throw sand in
the clear eyes Of such man as the
president of the United States by at
tempting to prove that the law cannot
be kept. 1t Is time to warn men and
women who have qualities of leader
ship that they are playing with fire.
1t is quite possible that In attempting
to break down a law which they say
interferes with their freedom they will
ruin some younger life that is dearer
to them than all the world beside.
"And thefe is the nation to be
thought of. The men who say that
the way to change a law is to break
it, point out that the Boston Tea Par
ty broke the law. That act, however,
committed those who did it to revo-
luton. = The other nation illustra-
ton quoted by those who justify their
contempt of a particular law is the
Fugitive Slave Law. The heroic abo-
litionists deliberately and prayerfully
broke it. They broke it with their
eyes open to the fact that they were
inviting civil war And civil war
came.
lone must remember that the break
| ing Of the law in both these famous
| instances was for human welfare and
progress and so for the good of all;
while in the case of the 18th amend
ment the violation seems to most men
| purely to fratify oneself. However
i this may be, whenever a man breaks
deliberately and conscientiously the
law Of his country he invites either
revolution or civil war. I do not be-
/ lieVe that, with our country as strong
/ and as sane as it is today, this break
| ing of law by an influential minority
! can bring us to such straits; but il
| you can imagine that the great ma
! jority of our citizens should ever
treat other laws as the minority is
treating this law, the result have
! pictured would be inevitable"