Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1926-10-14
SPEECH OF WIN. M'ADOO,
AT Los ANGELES, CAL,
PRAISED BY PROHIS

Atlanta, Ga.-The full text of Hon.
VIM. G. McAdoo's speech before the
National Convention of the Women's
Christian Temperance Union at Los
Angeles, California, recently, which
has been received here by prohibition
leaders and personal friends, is re-
ceiving wide comment of a most ia
vorable nature.
Mr.. McAdoo took as his subject,
Qualification or Preservation" and
he argued with great force for the
preservation Of the present prohibi-
ton law. Local prohibitionists who
have perused the copy of the speech
in its entirety declare unhesitatingly
that it is the clearest, strongest pre-
sentation of the subject that has been
brought to heir attention in many
months.
The distinguished former secretary
of the treasury in the Woodrow Will
son administration, after giving a
brief history of the prohibition law
and the U. S. supreme court decision
upholding it, refers to what he terms
the sinister movements to defeat
prohibition" He says the bootleg
gers can be dealt with, "but the
fragrant and daring effort to nullify
the Constitution presents a problem
of great import" He mentions two
states, New York and Maryland, as
having refused cooperation with the
federal government in enforcing the
law.
Two States Rebel
"This is plain notification of the
Constitution" declares Mr.. McAdoo.
at is a revival of the isues which al
most tore the country asunder in
1882, and which did rend the country
in a great civil war from 1861 to
1865. 1t has been supposed that An
drew Jackson and Appomattox had
determined the character of our gov
eminent by making it forever clear
that no state can refuse obedience to
a federal law declared constitutional.
By whatever name such refusal may
be Standardization, passive re-
sistance or incorporation in the
,oorf ,,,,,o,oo of ,,oooifoc+ JI1tIy II ic
in effect, if not in fact, rebellion
against the United States"
Mr.. McAdoo goes into the question
of inadequate appropriations and in
effective federal enforcement, show
ing that the appropriations asked for
by the treasury department and
granted by Congress 'are hopelessly
inadequate to create any kind of eff
fective organization for the pur-
pose" He declares that mot only
should a higher class of men be en-
ployed at better wages, but they
should be brought under the Civil
Service, given protection against UNI
scrupulous politicians and be assured
of the reward of secure tenure and
promotion for faithful service" He
also says that the number of federal
courts and trial agencies should be
increased sufficiently to permit of
the prompt trial, and punishment of
all offenders.
Prohibitions Great Victory
Prohibition is the greatest moral
and economic victory ever achieved
in human history" said Mr.. McAdoo.
''Its benefits to the masses of the
people have already been incalcula-
BILE? The lawlessness and crime of
our great cities has not resulted from
the prohibition policy but from the
lawlessness of those who deliberately
refuse obedience to the Constitution
and laws of their country. Would
the repeal of prohibition and the
restoration of the saloon decrease
crime and improve the morals of So
ciety? No liquor advocate dares
claim that it will. If the saloon were
operating today, either openly or I'M
der cover, with the sanction of law,
crime would be increased and the
factor of safety in the operation of
trains, automobiles and every hazard
Gus occupation would be reduced to
a gravely dangerous point"
Mr.. McAdoo declares that the
American people will never again
tolerate the saloon, nor will they put
the United States Government into
the liquor business" He refers to
the Canadian system of government
dispensed liquor as being "repugnant
to every moral sentiment and politi-
cal instinct of our people"
"The political and moral debauch-
cry that would come from Uncle Sam
as a national saloonkeeper with the
Chief Executive as the head bar
tender, since the Constitution i'm
poses upon him the duty of admins |
tering all Federal laws, is beyond
comprehension" Mr.. McAdoo assert
ed.