The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1929-03-16
VETS INTRODUCE REPEAL BILL
IN LOWER HOUSE
CONTINUED from Page u

Continued from Page u
lions contained in the Eighteenth Amend
ment, some of the practical reasons Why
House Bill No. 13 should fail, are:
First 1t is absolutely futile to accom-
plish the wishes OF its proponents. By
repeating the necessary enforcement laws
the state is not relieved from the prohi-
billions contained in the Eighteenth
Amendment. If the prohibition enforce
ment laws should be repealed citizen of
Illinois who manufactured, transported or
sold liquor for beverage purposes, would
still be amenable to prosecution in the
Federal courts. The repeal would result
in confusion. Many persons thinking
they were given the right to engage in the
liquor traffic would be nlisled only to be
made criminals.
Second The repeal of this law would
be productive of laWlessness. The proh1-
billions of the Eighteenth Amendment
would still remain. The state could not
license or in any way regulate or provide
for the legal sale of beverage liquors un-
der police regulations. Illinois would be-
come the rendezvous Of the rum runners,
the bootleggerS, the moonshlnerS, ana
liquor bandits Of other states who would
feel that they could operate their ne
farious activities from within her con-
AAAC4SONeNSAOAA 100
local officers. The congregation OF these
criminals within the borders OF the state,
in addition to those already in the state,
with such a dense population, would con-
stitute menace to the safety and Sc
curity of every laW-abiding citizen such
as would exist in no other state IN the
American Union.
Third. The hundreds of police officers,
sheriffs and constables of the State OF
Illinois would be compelled to look on the
scenes of laWlessness carried on IN Viola
ton of the Constitution OF the Unlted
States and would be impotent to raise
hand to suppress it, except through lhe
exercise of such incidental power as
they possess by reason Of authority con-
ferred in Sections and 25 OF the Ma
tional Prohibition act making Section
1914 of the Revised Statutes of the United
States applicable Illinois would be placed
in the position of having extended an IN
vitation to one of the most vicious crl1nI-
nal elements known to society and guar
anteeing to them that they should nave
immunity from interference by ofhcefs
of the state 1t would not mean re-
turn to the former system OF license con-
troll. but simply a status OF no control OF
regulation.
Fourth. The withdrawal of the active
Daftlc1OoUlOn u llle lDC6lA SO4AoNfNNNNAN-J -
the enforcement of this provision OF the
Constitution would be tremendous con-
tribution to the cause Of lawlessneSs and
members of the Legislature responsive
for such conditions would undoubtedly be
held accountable by the people OF the
state for the results which would surely
follow.
Fifth. The repeal OF this law would
result in a loss of revenue to the state.
Every single police officer, constable OF
sheriff holding Office under the present
law would have to be retained if the state
law were repealed but the people OF the
state would be deprived of their services
in preventing the sale OF hquor-a most
prolific cause of lawlessness. And all OF
the fines. forfeited bonds. and receipts
from >confiscated property which are now
being received by the state and spent Tor
the benefit OF the people OF Illinois,
would be lost. individuals vino would be
prosecuted for violations of the Eight
zenith Amendment would pay their fines
to the Federal courts.
Sirth. The fact that those who are
against prohibition are for the repeal of
the state law, while its retention is