Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-24

That letter bears the signature of
such well known and highly respected
lawyers as Henry w. De Forest, Jo'eph
H. Choate, jr.; Samuel H. OrdWay and
Others. It states:
THE voluntary committee of lawyers
offers to these members of the bar who
believe that the eighteenth amendment
and the enforcement act have created
an intolerable situation an opportunity
to clarity and influence public opinion.
by an expression of their views. In the
past the public has looked to the bar
for guidance, particularly on questions
involving the principles of government,
and we believe the bar should not fail
to assume its traditional leadership in
the outstanding issue now facing the
people. Our present activities are linn
tied to securing the support of repre-
sentative lawyers throughout the coun-
try and to encourage bar associations
in various States to adopt resolutions
advocating the repeal Of the eighteenth
amendment"
This is just one OF many organizations
that had assiduously endeavored to
inStill in the public mind the single
thought concerning the prohibition law,
1T can't be enforced"
Prohibition Result Of Long Fight.
i
who form such organizations. They
have the right not only to their opinion,
but to broadcast their opinion and to
influence others to accept it. Years and
years of public agitation by temperance
advocates were necessary to build up
public sentiment to the point of accept
ance of national prohibition.
The eighteenth amendment was no
hastily inflicted calamity as many OF
the anti-prohibitionistS denominate 1t.
It was simply the elimination of scores
of years of educational and political
work by temperance societies, church
organizations and millions of individuals
who had learned by personal observa-
ton or costly experience that the liquor
traffic under any system of regulation
created exactly the same condition
about which ti-prohibitionists are
now complaining: Graft, corruption,
public disorder and maladministration
Of justice.
The essential difference lies in the
fact that before national prohibition
each community, each county and each
State was interested primarily and al
most exclusively in its own particular
liquor trade difficulty. In nearly every
city, county, or State election prior to
prohibition there was liquor issue
voted upon. The issue might be the
replacement of a sheriff who had al
lowed blind pigs. to operate by a candl-
date who had the Endorsement of the
Anti-Saloon League; or the issue might
be the raising of the license fee for
saloons from $500 to 81 600 to curb the
number; or the issue might be the
election of aldermen who would pass
an ordinance to close saloons on Sunday
or by midnight. But there was the
focus of local attention on liquor evils.
Becomes "Big News"
The eighteenth amendment and the
Volstead act amalgamated, merged,
consolidated and centralized all these
issues into one grand national move
ment; the prevention Of the manufac-
ture and sale of liquor anywhere in the
United States at any time.
When prohibition became Nation
wide the subject for the first time be-
came big news" for the city press. The
passing of local option law in North
Dakota prior to prohibition meant prac-
tically nothing at all to the editors of
the New York, Philadelphia or Chicago
newspapers. But the closing of the
thousands of barroomS in their own
communities bv national prohibition
was news of the biggest kind. do not
think that editors of the metropolitan
press yet realize that prior to adoption
of the eighteenth amendment, out of
2,540 counties of the United States all
but 305 had declared themselves dry"
I do not think they yet realize that the
eighteenth amendment to the Consti-
tuition was ratified by more States than
any other amendment that has ever
been adopted-46 of the 48 States. I
do not think most of those who declare,
by word of mouth and in editorial ut
terances, that prohibition can't be en-
forced" realize that repeal of the eight
zenith amendment is almost an impoS-
sibility.
haro M iorifx, ~ an. a., Ahn -4l,.-