New Britain herald., 1930-02-12

to society, but only so much as is needed to preserve the entity.
 'Freedom of decision as to what one may drink. eat or wear, is as fundamental as freedom ot belief in religion. Like in the delegation Of powers 10 the federal govern ment by the sovereign states, all not delegated were reserved.
 Stresses Individual Rights
 individual man has a large rescr- voir of powers. Only when ones choice by overt acts breaks tine peace or injures society can the in- dividual decision be assaiIed, and then only to punish the overt acts.
 Behold the action of the Canada provinces. which after many oXpcri- ncnts have finally adopted the so- called Canadian system,' all except Prince Edward Island, Only Finland and the United States stand out as dry nations. Cannot some system bo devised 10 control. and not prohibit. that will lessen the evils portray cd"
 ''rha usc Of wine has been conn touancod throughout the ages. Had God wished automatons he could have changed the nature of the grapes or destroyed the human ap- petite lie wanted character. He wanted the man who met tcmpta- tons and conquered.
 "Ict us reason together, not with the fanatic, for he is the foe of rc- l cious as well as individual liberty. Not with him, no, but with broad- men and women ot every faith and belief, and try to relieve our country through reason and by I new system--onc not founded on the bhldgcon and a violation Of mons conscientious regarding drink,
 No Such Law Practical
 "No law can ever bc enforced that is destructive Of right and in ,livi1ual liberty. You may croat" q guerilla warfare and conditions rocking with murder. robbery, cor ruption. violations or oNasions and disrcspcct for all law. Every law to be capable of being enforced with cut such train of consequences must not be inconsistent with the mind of the people of the country as being right and must not be de- structivc of individual libcrty.'
 When the long awaited hearing on resolutions proposing outright repeal of the eighteenth amendment and various forms of modification Of that amendment opened before the house judiciary committee Chair man Graham announced at inc out set that this amendment and the prohibition enforcement law "haVC been tested for ten years without satisfactory rCsults.'
 Graham prcfaccd his statement by saying he desired to explain his own position on prohibition, one of the ivcst issues on capitol hill.
 200 Listen Intcntly
 Th" more than 900 men and Wom- cn gathered in the house caucus room listened intcntly to the Penn 5ylvanian. Nearly half of the audi 1nce was composed of women.
 The room had begun to fill early, The chamber was selected because it is much larger than the regular committee room.
 Representative Mary T. Norton. democratic wet of New Jersey, author of one of the pending rcao- lu0ons, sat in the front TOW.
 Miss NJ. Louise Gross, chairman Of the Womcn's committee for the re- peal of the 18th amendment, and Mrs. David II. Martin, secretary. both Of New York. also were on hand prepared 10 testify.
 Graham was interrupted by 2 burst Of applause when he said that no law can bc enforced that is de- 7tructiye of right and individual liberty. He was loudly applaudcd 2s he concluded.
 The chairman said both vets and drys would be given equal oppor- tunlty to present their views. The hcaring9, he said, might not accom- pIiah anything, but they would give tn opportunity 10 the conscientious opponents of prohibition for d pub lie hearing.
 The hearings. he added, would be confined to resolutions for the re- peal Of the 18th amendment.
 He said he had not considered placing any limit on how long the hearings would run, but that wit ncsscs would be restricted to the subject at hand. the resolutions pro posing repeal and modification.
 Representative Hickey, Indiana, a republican member of the committee insisted that a time limit be set.
 TO Make Hearings Educational
 Tho purpose, the chairman said is to make the hearings cducativc.
 'Whon prohibition was adopted he slogan Of battle Down with the, saloon commanded the hosts,' he s..d.
 Here the chairman described the concerted efforts made for prohibi- ton before if was adopted. There were mass meetings throughout the country, he asserted. where the pIo- poncnts of prohibition had their audiences.
 Today, however, he continued i've are Witn", sing the tranSgrcssion Of individual rights of conscience and Dc)icf.'
 "What opportunity has there been for the conscientious opponents or prohibition to he hcard?' he asked. 'Thcsc hearings will open the doors 10 lot them present their side of the question fully"
 The committee then became in NolNcd in q discussion of procedure.
 Representative Summers. demo- crat. Texas, insisted that a division of time be made, but Representa- tive LaGuardiH, republican,, New