Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-04-09

BY the Associated Press.
SYMPHONY HALL, BOSTON,
April 9.--This hall whose usual loud
est outcry is the burst of applause
greeting an artists rendition OF
classical composition, last night re-
sounded to the eager tread OF thous-
ands interested in the debate between
two prominent men on the subject OF
prohibition and the attitude which
some believe the Republican party
should take toward it.
The first of the disputants TO APP
pear on the stage was DR.. Nicholas
Murray Butler, president of Column
bia University, who presented the af-
ffrmative of the question, Should the
Republican national platform Of 1928
advocate repeal of the eighteenth
amendment" against Senator VIII
liam E. Borah of Idaho.
An audience which filled the hall
greeted him vociferously, but APP
peared equally hospitable when SEN
ator Borah appeared moment later.
President Robert NJ. Washburn OF
the Roosevelt Club introduced the de-
baters.
Butler Opens Debate.
Opening his argument, DR.. Butler
declared the question presented raises
issues more important than any
which the American people have been
called upon to face since our fathers
and grandfathers had to deal with tn"
issue OF slavery and secession.
"It is in no direct sense question
of morals at ALL" he said. 1T is only
incidentally a question which has to
do with the use and abuse OF in
toxicating liquor 1t is primarily and
chiefly a question of government, or
the protection and perpetuity OF the
form of government established by
the Constitution, of the relation or
that Government to the citizen ana
Of the relation of the citizen to his
Government"
''While the eighteenth amendment
il the law. we owe it obedience. DR..
Butler said. I'VE owe to the under
lying principles of America an appeal
to the people to undo that damage and
correct that stupendous error.
"Mv appeal" he added, lis from the
judicial and legislative branches of the
Government to the people to take out
of that Constitution a provision In the
form of an amendment which is not
an amendment, which is substantive
legislation, which is a revolutionary
act. which has not likeness to any
thing that is in the Constitution
which has nothing whatever 10 DO
with the form and structure OF govern
mer1t or with the limitation OF powers,
but which is an ordinary municlpai
law, operating directly ana aIInost
irrevocably upon the Whoie poos Vi
our citizenship"
~Contradicts Constitution"
The eighteenth amendment, DIR. But
Ter said. "affronts and dishgures" the
CONSTITUTION, contradicting every prln-
cinle on which the Constitution rests,
and he added. "the difficulties. the
err, easements. the shocking scenes
renorted daily from every part or the
land |" are the result of the contradic
fion that has been set UP between the
Constitution and the eighteenth
amendment.
any first ground of appeal to my
marty to lead the way in restoring
our Government is that TINS aHehu'
1nent ia revolutionary and highly
Inngaros,s ;. he said. There are
fvro ways of overturning Federal
So,-,,, of government and destroying It.
One is by breaking 1t to pieces, when
was secession. The other and equally
Dangerous way is to destroy the COM
nonent parts by building up at the
center a great Federal bureaucracy
"a care for every detail of local ano
State administration and life ana 10
reduce the names Massachusetts liil-
nois and California to descriptive
geographical terms" :,
President Butler aroused the auol-
ence to its highest pitch OF enthusiasm
manifested at any point up 10 tnat
time when he declared that senator
Borah In debate IN the Senate Marcn
. 1914 had STATED with admirable
cogency and directness the very neart
and essence of my argument.
Quotes Idaho Senator.
Tn the record of this debate, he said,
was 'this admirable declaration:
"sI am not in favor of putting IN
tha Constitution OF the United States
4 provision of the fundamental law
IF which we, as a nation, are going
to live in defiance 365 days IN the
ssMv dear Senator" he continued,
sI agree with you entirely, but why
confine 1t to woman suffrage"
"sAnd il 1t is not going to be en-
forced in all parts Of the nation. then
there is no reason why It should not
be left to the different States to act
on the question OF equal suffrage ana
have public opinion behind II. Sena-
tor, I agree with you"
President Butler contended that
prohibition was not q question OF
state rights, but a question OF
States privileges, State duties, State
RESPONSIBILITIES, and "of the protec-
ton and preservation Of local self
government on which every form OF
Democratic Government must nnally
depend"
Question of Population.
He asserted that prior to national
prohibition, is States with a popula'
ton of Sc per cent of the total popu-
lation Of the United States had no
such law, while IS other States with
1914 per cent of the total population
had restrictive legislation that per-
nitted individuals to exercise their
ordinary civil and political liberty.
and IL States with II per cent of the
population had strictly prohibitory
legislation.
The eighteenth amendment, DR..
Butler declared, represents the worst
possible way" of attempting to deal
with the evils of the liquor traffic.
eve talk Of law enforcement" he
continued. "You cannot enforce con.
fiicting laws-something must give
way; and then 1t is the eighteenth
amendment and the legislation based
upon it on the one hand, and the
whole body of the Constitution, the
bill of rights, the whole of political
English and American history on the
other, which do you suppose will have
to give way? 1t must be this new and
invading element in our public law. "
After citing cases of what he said
Is being done by enforcement agents
under the guise of law enforcement,