The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1926-04-30
LAW ENFORCEMENT OR
MODIFICATION


of these United States has the
Eighteenth, or Prohibition Amend
ment, been written into our Consti-
tuition, and so long as it remains
there is it the duty of every good
citizen of our country to uphold
and observe it.
This, despite the clamor of the Is
per cent, among whose numbers may
be found bootlegger and other law
violator, working with some few,
very few, U. S. Senators and Con-
gressmen for it's defeat.
These representative of
our Government,-are by oath of
office pledged to uphold that Consti
tuition of which the Eighteenth
Amendment is part, and are not
only guilty of malfeasance of office
in utterances and actions that dis
credit the law they have sworn to
abide by and observe, but by their
attitude tend to encourage the law
less class to open violations.
Our own State of Maryland num-
bers among its National representa-
tives, or misrepresentation if you
will, in both Senate and House, men
who are tireless in their efforts to
discredit and obstruct the proper
observance of the Prohibition law
1t is a fact, however, that their
craftsmanship called,-is not
such as to carry great weight, this
fact stripping their oratory CD of
any real force, except with the
oDstructionists and the lawless
element, the latter of whom give
them unstinted praise.
Witness the open def of the
/Senator from Maryland, in his bid
for cheap wet popularity, when in
debate he hurls the choice saloon
threat of Constitution or no Consti-
tuition, the people will have liquor"
Born of greed, and dominated by
constituencies group of men, it has
ever been the history of the liquor
business that it does not long OBJ
serve any law looking to its regula-
ton or restraint,-be it license,
local option, prohibition, or what
not, but has left a Shiny trail of
violations, crime, corruption and
viciousness down through all the
ages from time immemorial
And now comes the plea for
modification" of the existing Fed
eral Prohibition law, or Amend
ment. Not from the temperance
element, but from the liquor venor,
backed solidly by all the train. of
evil-doers it breeds.
Does not modification" mean to
make less drastic ? And if the
present Prohibition Act is such
a dismal failure as the wet hosts
would have us believe, why are they
If it is not their real hope and aim
to make it still less effective !? And
just why should the enemies OF a
law be intrusted with its so-called
modification, if they did not have
some Interior purpose in view I?
Is law strengthened by making
it more easily violated, as is the in
tent of the vets insofar as the
modification of the Prohibition law
is concerned
Because law is violated does
that argue it is a failure E?
What of the laws against theft,
arson, murder, etc., etc.? Are not
these and all others violated repeat
eddy, but does any one argue they
should be modified" because of
their violation ?
This modification plea of the vets
is nothing more nor less than an
attempt to regain a legalized foot
hold in our fair country for their
outlawed, infamous liquor business,
for the existence of which there
never was single sound argument.
Nor is there one good thing that can
be said of this crime breeding, law
breaking, home wrecking evil, whose
handmaidens are misery and want.
Instead of modification, what the
law-abiding people of this great
Nation want, and what they demand,
is more teeth in the present law.
Teeth that will be felt by every boot
logger and other violator, and that
will put these violators where they
rightfully beiong,-behind prison
bars,-for a sufficient length of time
to instill wholesome fear of, if not
respect for, the law.
Not a mere fine, easily paid from
the profits of their illicit business,
and freedom to further ply their
filthy trade.
Not modification, either, with a
letting down of the bars of re-
straint, but a drastic strengthening
;and more rigid enforcement of the