Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-07-28

our people by millions because our
crops have been too great.
The capacity of our existing in
dustries Is double the quantity OF
things they are actually turning out.
The amazing spectacle is presented
of a million or more men constantly
idle with half-used factories crying
to employ their labor and n consum-
ing public whose capacities are only
limited by their ability to pay.
Stupendous Problem for America
America is cropping for the solution
of what is perhaps the most stupen-
dous problem which it yet has faced.
The gentleman who harks back to
! 1900 and talks vaguely of "laissez-
faire" abundantly deserves the fate
he will undoubtedly receive. The
stage-coach and the prairie schooner
have passed and along with them
have gone the governmental policies
suited to T. cir day.
Intelligent cooperation between
government and business is vital to
the prosperity of the country and to
the welfare and fair treatment OF
every individual concerned.
The men who wrote the American
Constitution are historically con-
spicuous for applying revolutionary
theories to the problems of their
days.
1t is travesty to talk of govern
mental decentralization when every
commercial and industrial interest
is more and more intimately allied.
The states seem destined to serve
their most useful purpose by fully
informing themselves concerning the
economic problems of the people Of
4,+ IN
appropriate provision is made. by
competent authority for removing
any Instructions or iniauities from
the harmonious functioning of their
commercial life.
In 1900 governments existed 10
preserve order. Today governments
exist to preserve jobs.
How to make the profit system
function with a sufficient purchasing
power in the masses to consume the
goods that are produced. and pre-
vent or remove the surplus with the
minimum of waste?
Our government will show the way
to do this or the profit system will
be strapped.
Prohibition
It is we'll to observe that over half
of the population of the United
States were living under prohibition
before the Eighteenth Amendment
was adopted and that ninety-five
percent of our territory was dry. 1t
seems also clear that the abuses
incident to the licensed areas in
contact with dry territory furnished
one of the strong arguments leading
to this fundamental change. States
could not drink to themselves alone.
The country seems destined TO
pass through the same phases that
Maine has long since endured.
Ontology epitomiZes phylogemy. The
development of national Prohibition
seems likely to parallel the develop
ment of Prohibition in the State.
This seems that in increasing
measure our national executives will
be selected with reference to their
attitude toward the enforcement of
this law. One doubtful of the wis
dom of this enactment with SYM
pathizers selected as enforcement
officials in The several districts of the
United States could bring about n
regional notification that would ruin
our national self-respect.
Each state has a right to enforce
concurrently with the nation the
Eighteenth Amendment to the Con-
stitution of the United States. If
the state does not choose to exercise
that right then it is inevitable that
the Federal Government must in
| increasing measure enter the field
of the sovereignty of the states. We
shall witness the interesting develop
ment of federal intrusion Of the
most intimate and extensive pro-
claiming State Rights.
The Wave of Crime
| Intimately allied with Prohibition
enforcement is the entire subject of
| the wave of crime which staggers
the minds of thoughtful Americans
as they read Of ten thousand muir
ders each year and of the enormous
| increase in crimes of violence that
| Is now the subject of a national
| survey.
| IF the Federal Government had
assumed jurisdiction of murder or
| burglaries or other crimes OF that
| order, it would have been COMPARE
| lively simple to adjust the jurisdic-
| tional question that We're involved
| but the scent of liquor runs along
the trail of every crime and Federal
! police in its pursuit must iucidently
uncover practically the entire cate
cory of crimes that are rampant in
| the territory they serve.
This means that the states will
vigorously and with reasonable sue
| cess exercise their concurrent pow
er TO enforce the Eighteenth Amend
ment or the federal police power
within their jurisdiction is liable to
become supreme.
In Maine for a year and a half
| we have been travelling upon the
theory that Justice is the hand
! maid of mercy" and that the kindest
thing to the criminal is to see that
| he Immediately enjoys the conse-
quences of his act with prospect Of
executive clemency only in the most
~AE ~ go