Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-03-27
WILL NOT REMEDY
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\S0HeiIdSu ItStn 6dSC OIlSJ 90
intoxicating liquor they may find
seemingly good authority in the opin-
ion of the brews of the United States,
who, long prior to the adoption of
the Federal Amendment, were them
selves responsible for the judicial de-
termination that an alcoholic con-
tent of over 17s constituted an in
toxicating drink. The brewers insist
ed upon this definition in order to
prevent what they claimed was I'M
fair competition with their saloons
licensed to traffic in intoxicating
drinks.
1T would not seem that citizens
We're amenable to the charge of be-
ing temperance fanatics when they
laid down by the brewers themselves.
Modification or repeal Of the Fed
eral prohibition amendment Is a
proper subject for discussion by citi-
zens of the United States but nulli-
fication of tn amendment by the
insiduous process of modification of
our Statutory Law to permit an al
coholic content that reasonable men
and highly prejudiced interests alike
have determined to be intoxicating is
not within the limits of good citizen
ship as conceived of in these United
States. Opponents of prohibition
render their associates a very poor
service in conceiving that deliberate
defiance Of constitutional amend
ments advance their cause. 1t is be-
coming increasingly apparent that
the prohibition issue is to overshad-
ow our National political life exactly
as 1t overshadowed for generation
the political life of the State of
Maine.
"In Maine we ran the entire gamut
from notification to enforcement and
back down the scale until 1t was
finally conclusively demonstrates
that honest and earnest enforcement
was the one solution that could be
found upon which honest citizens
could unite. The Nation will f1nd
the same answer after as much Ter
ment and trouble as may be neces-
sary to convince 1t of what is the
only simple and sufficient course.
Having set their hands to the pillow
the citizens Of the United States will
not turn back and any dallying with
this problem either in enforcement or
in Interpretation will simply aggra-
yate the issues which will finally be
settled in but one way.
Candidates for public office and
political parties will do well to rec
ognize this issue which Is now DOM
mating our American social and po-
litical life and range themselves defl-
nitely and consistently upon one SIDE
or the other not only in protestatfons
of law enforcement but on the rar
more fundamental question of thelr
attitude toward the law itself.
"A declaration of faith in our CON
stitutional Amendments and their
honest Interpretation in our Statu-
tory law Is a fair statement to ex-
pect of one who bases his appeal TO
the suffrage Of his fellow citizens
upon the ground of his support >of
the prohibitory cause.
.Parties and candidates and citi-
zens as well have full liberty to OPP
bose these views but theH should be
no confusion as to exactly what may
be honestly and consistently propos-
ed. No talk of enforcement of exist
ing law or modification to permit
light wines and beers should be per-
mitted to blind our eyes to the funa-
amental fact that the path OF morin-
cation is in reality the pah OF NULL
fication, If We shall permit the Brew
ers' Association of the United states
to be our judge"