The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-06-01

Was Borah Fair?
Cold Water, Raw Alcohol
Right to Petition
What Borah Ignores
BY NJ. E. Tracy

| Dy
| 1t is impossible to minimize the
significance of what Senator Borah
told the Presbyterians at Baltimore
| Sunday night.
| over their heads, he spoke to a
nation and though speaking as an
individual, he voiced the thought of
millions, as only Borah can.
But did he put the problem fair
ly?
+ i. T.
The Eighteenth Amendment for
bids the Manufacture. sale, transpor-
tation, etc, of Intoxicating liquor.
The Volstead Act declares that
liquor is Intoxicating if it con-
tains more than one half of one per
cent of alcohol.
How much of the controversy in
which we are now engaged is due
to the amendment and how much to
the act?
Borah says that our capacity TO
maintain constitutional government
is the issue and that we must live
up to the Eighteenth Amendment
until we are ready to repeal it.
He implies that living up to the
| Eighteenth Amendment includes I'M
questioning acceptance of the Vol
stead Act. Is that true?
The Eighteenth Amendment was
not only impotent but meaningless
until Congress passed a law.
The question of whether the law
is right has very little to do with
the question of whether the amend
ment should be repealed. Yet that is
the way Borah puts it.
i
Borah says that these unofficial
referendums embody the spirit of
notification. letting it be understood
that those who father them are dis
loyal
Is that quite true. or has Borah
put a strained construction on the
country?
So we face an alternative Of cold
water, or raw alcohol.
order to be dry or become wet in
order to preserve State rights?
OF more immediate concern. have
we arrived at a point where we can
not register our views regarding a
law passed by Congress even to the
extent of holding unofficial refer
endums. just because that law has
to do with a constitutional amend
ment?
T. i. T.
Borah says that liquor has been a
curse to the human race, and he is
absolutely right.
But there has been another curse
also and that is the leader who can
see nothing but extremes and who
spends his life blocking all roads Of
moderation. II the Volstead act is
the only law consistent with the
Eighteenth Amendment. then Borah
has taken a perfectly sound position.
If it Is not. he is presenting the
issue in false light.
T. T.
Back Of the moral question. there
is the question of whether we are
prepared to change the basic form
Of this Government and whether the
Eighteenth Amendment implies that
we might.
The Eighteenth Amendment, as in.
terpreted by the Volstead act, vir.
tually annihilates States rights. Not
only that, but it justifes the recent
order issued by President Coolidge
and the calling out of the Army and
Navy should strict enforcement Of
the law make it necessary.
But it all goes back to the Vol
stead act-a law passed by Congress
and law that can be repealed by
Congress.
Have the people a right to petit
ton Congress with a regard to this
law, and If they have why not
through unof1cial referendums?
I =
The issue to be met, the problem
to be solved and the right attitude
to take would all be made a little
clearer perhaps If we talked less
about liquor and more about the Vol
stead act.
Except in few wild spots, it is
not elemental thirst crying for modi-
fication, but a conviction that Con-
gress has gone too far.
There is very little sentiment for
repeal Of the Eighteenth Amend
ment and practically none for the
return of the saloon.
The idea that Congress could
raise the minimum alcoholic con-
tent, however, without multiplying
the Constitution and that local self
government could strengthen, or
stand pat on such d minimum with
out injuring the cause of temper
ance, is rapidly gaining ground
1t is this idea that Senator Borah
ignores.