Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-26

Whatever may have been the purpose
of the letter from George w. Wicker
sham to Gov. Roosevelt of New York,
which was read at the recent governors
conference, it has stirred up national
debate on prohibition along new lines.
Neither vets nor drys generally are en-
thuSiastic over the suggestion of the
chairman of President Hoovers Law En-
forcement Commission that more def
mite responsibilities in connection with
prohibition enforcement should be
placed on the States.
The New York Sun sees "a ray of
sunshine for the drys" and observes
IF the Federal Government, under Mr..
Wickersham's plan, should prevent the
importation, manufacture and ship
ment Of Intoxicating beverages, there
would be no Speakeasies for the States
to suppress" To the Fort Worth Rec
rd-Telegrem, however, any division of
authority seems all wrong Either the
Government of the United States should
enforce the prohibition amendment"
says the Texas paper, cor the amend
ment should be withdrawn and the
States left to make their own regu-
latory laws as expressed by the will of
the majority of the people"
THE weakness of the plan" in the
opinion of the Rock Island Argus, sis
the assumption that the States will
universally cooperate and use the same
measures. The plan, in the opinion of
some. amounts to a concession that
prohibition. thus far, has proved to be
unenforceable." The Richmond News
Leader argues: "Mr. Wickersham's
ideas might not work out we'll in prac-
tice, however sound they may be in
theory, but 1t is better for him to sug-
gest something for discussion than to
throw up his hands in despair"
x x X
Before the body which he is the
chairman has begun to study the ques-
ton submitted to it," contends the New
Bedford Evening Standard, at is sur
prising that Mr.. WfckerSham should be
expressing conclusions. However, as he
has gone SO far, he ought to go farther
and state precisely what degree and
kind of modification he has in mind
Then his proposal can be discussed in
diligently" Further details are de-
manded also by the Fort Wayne News
Sentinel, the Lexington Leader and the
Erie Dispatch-Herald
Deploring the fact that the statement
created unnecessary confusion, and
perhaps has unnecessarily prejudiced
the work Of the commission" the New
ark Evening News remarks: 1.-THE gov
errors of the several States are as di-
vided in their reactions to the Wicker
sham letter as the public. They fatty
refused to act on it. All Of which goes
to show that prohibition is too 'techy
a subject and the public attitude to-
ward prohibition too dsorganized to
expect much Of anything to come out
of the Wickersham furry"
T0,.k 80 Ill Ill I@s~ ~ -
States where dynamite should be flung
mingham News explains. Gov. Roose-
welt might easily have warned his fell
low governors of this Wickersham let
ter hidden in his sleeve. Suddenly to
have read it in the presence of gentle
men gathered, not to undergo a Ques-
tionnaire or to have their brains be-
fuddled by an issue which they had
good reason to believe they left back
home-that is the unkindest thing
of ALL"
As interpreted by the Lincoln State
Journal, "Mr. Wickersham merely had
a personal view which he wished to put
before the governors to get their re-
actions. The vets, however, have
turned the affair into a clever piece of
propaganda for their cause" Neither
Side appears to the Utica Observer-Dis-
patch to be pleased, and that paper
states: Some Of the vets do not like
the idea of pressure upon the States to
cooperate with the National Govern
ment. Drys do not fancy the sugges-
ton Of a modification Of the law"
"The drys seem to be as pleased as
the VETS" according to the Charleston
Evening Post, which concludes: 1.-THE
commission and the administration
know no more now than before how
the country would line up on a modifi-
cation of the prohibition laws. Every
body is for 1.-THE drys for q drier
condition and the vets for wetter.
AS trial balloon, to show the way the
wind Is blowing, the Wickersham as
ssnsien was q, 6op." Tha 3angoE~ Com.