Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-17

the Wickersham letter in his speech
rather put the drys on their guard. be-
cause they felt the Letter would be given
an Interpretation hostile to their cause.
The comments of the governors them
selves were very guarded, but Gov.
Ritchie, a pronounced advocate of
modification in the prohibition Situa-
ton, Is planning to discuss the subject
fully and frankly at the round table on
the last day of the conference-Gov.
Roosevelt suggested in executive session,
arguing that what the governors said
is usually quoted at such length by the
newspapers that governors themselves
might unconSciously be influenced in
their statements by the knowledge that
they were talking to the public. Mr.
RooseveltS idea was to erase any i'm
preston that he brought UP the subject
for political purposes.
Seek Cooperation Formula.
BY an executive session 1t would be
apparent that the purpose of the debate
was not TO make individual orations on
prohibition, but to work out formula
for cooperation between the States and
the Federal Government.
Executive sessions, however, are Just
as theoretical in the minds of some
6ONClIIOIo do are affairs III the
United States Senate. 1t Is hardly
likely that any secret sessions will be
held, for another reason, which is that
the purpose Of the governors conference
Is to provide forum for consideration
OF current questions without legislative
power. The constitution of the gov
ernorS' conference requires. that no
resolutions be adopted on contentious
subjects, and the only executive sessions
held are to nominate committees for
the ensuing years conference.
Mr.. Wickersham's proposal neverthe-
less will have all the force that he in
tended 1t to acquire, because the gov
ernorS have had a question put up TO
them which they will have to discuss
in detail when they get back home.
Indeed, Mr.. Wickersham, as chairman
OF the Presidents commission, has ask
ed the States for cooperation and .SuS-
gestions. His idea that authority be
divided and that the States should sub
NIT proposal of that kind to the Fed
eral Government carries the whole pro-
hibition controversy back about 20 years
to the days when Congress was attempt
ing to stop the importation Of intoxi-
cantS into States which by their own
laws and become dry. Indeed. the chief
reason why the drys advocated an
amendment to the Federal Constitution
was that the States were either unable
OF unwilling to cooperate in stopping
interstate shipments Of liquor.
Modification Necessary.
Broadly speaking. the Wickersham
suggestion is more significant of crit
ical attitude toward existing machinery
and its supposed inadequacy, rather
than any indication that the idea of
dividing the authority will be accepted
as solution, except in States like New
York and Wisconsin, which have de-
clined to keep their enforcement laws.
To carry out Mr.. Wickersham'S sug-
gestion 1t would be necessary for Con-
gress either to modify the VolStead act
or to allow those appropriations now
made for administering the law to be
so changed that the burden of enforce
ment would be transferred to the State
and local police.
The advocates of the eighteenth
amendment originally thought that the
States by reason of the concurrent
jurisdiction" imposed by the amend
ment would in effect feel concurrent
obligation. If Mr.. WickerShams letter
results in an assumption by the States
of such an obligation really to enforce
prohibition. the drys will be among the
first to permit amendments to the Vol
stead act to bring that about. Any
however, which means
weakening the laws will never win
their approval. And there are some
governors here who think that any
change is a sign of weakness.
(Copyright, 1921