The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1930-02-21
;oTcRESSMAN BECK FORMER SOLICITOR
CSJrNERAL FIAYS PROHIBITION LAWS

deprive the American people of
one of the most ancient rights of
the English-speaking race, name
ly, trial by jury" and that the
proposed addition to the Volstead
law. as embodied in the report,
twill have as little effect as put
ting a mustard plaster on a can,
GER"
at will not cure the cancer-it
will only intensity its activity and
cause it to spread more rapidly
through the body polite"
Referring to prohibition as a
"monstrous compound of iniquity
and folly" Mr.. Beck declared that
"ten-year revolt against the OPP
pressive regulation of private con-
duct prescribed in the Eighteenth
Amendment is a most encourage
ing s;gn," for it proves, he said,
chat no matter how powerful the
State is and no matter how great
its appeal to the imagination, the
American people have not yet lost
the spirit of individualism which
has made them the greatest ma
ton in the world"
"The collective experience Of the
past and the time honored tradi-
tions of the English-speaking peo-
pie constitute damning indict-
ment of the Eighteenth Amend
ment," Mr.. Beck said, asserting
also that even if it be granted that
prohibition has added to some
small extent to the industrial eff
ficiency of the nation, "the Amer
lean people are not disposed to
seal their ancient birthright for
such a mess of pottage."
Still Race Df Pioneers
"The fanatical dry leaders are
at the moment enjoying a Bel
shazzer's feast, as they view the
fat and juicy majorities which
they have in this Congress and in
other legislative bodies," MIR. Beck
declared. "But upon the wall now
appear the words, Meme, Meme,
Tekel, Upharsin'-for the sent
ences that l have quoted when
translated into common speech,
mean that the prohibition amend
ment has been weighed in the bal
ances and found wanting
Mr.. Beck then launched upon an
explanation of "the real signifi-
canoe" of "the pointed illusions
to the ancient traditions and ex-
periences of the English-speaking
race and their application to the
present situation"
Asserting that no law can live
which conflicts with the spirit or
genius of a people, Mr.. Beck said
that eff this be true, then it is
especially true of a race of indi-
vidualists, who have never been
disposed to place upon the brow
of King Demos a crown, which
they had taken from autocratic
kings"
eve are still a race of pho.
neers," Mr.. Beck said. cit is true
that we have cleared a continent
of it's once virgin forests, but the
American people did something
far greater than that They clear
ed the mind of America from the
obsession of past ages that a
State had an unlimited and divine
power to regulate, in all respects,
the conduct of the individual.
Recalls the Bloody Assizes."
James II, an arbitrary monarch,
believed that it was his divine
right to impose his ideas of NOR
atty upon individuals, and, to en-
force his mandates, he sent out
his Lord Chief Justice Jeffreys on
what was known as the Bloody
Assizes."
"Within four weeks Jeffreys had
tried and convicted over 1,200 men
and women, and even children. Of
course, this is not a record for eff
ficiency, as compared with our
government in the matter of pro-
hibition, for last year, according
to the reports of our able Attor-
ney General, there were terminal
ed 56,455 criminal prosecutions
under the Volstead law. Jeffreys,
therefore, only converted free En-
glishmen into criminals at the rate
of 800 a week, whereas our be-
nign government is indicting the
American people at the rate of
1000 week"
Says People Will Impose Checks.
"Even as the pathfinders of the
Mayflower limited the power OF
government to the imposition OF
Just and equal laws, so there is
in the hearts of all generations OF
Americans a profound instinct
that, whether safeguarded by con-
stitutional limitations or not
there is a limit to the power OF
government to regulate private
conduct" Mr.. Beck declared.
"There are ancient liberties Of
a free people, protected oy con
stitutional limitations or by an
cient customs and the collective
experience of free nations, which
when invaded by the State, can
not find any moral justification
even in a constitutional amend
ment.
"No one who knows me will
challenge my deep reverence fol
the Constitution. / have givei
much of the best energies of m.
life to its defense. If / have rem
dered to my day and generation
any service, it has been in calm,
attention, by pen and words, to |
noble compact of government
which is more respected than read
"But / am not prepared to sa,
that even an amendment to tn
Constitution forecloses controver
sy upon any subject, or that it !
unpatriotic to challenge its wis
!. dom. The Constitution is a livinl
I organism and finds its strengt
and vitality in its adaptability {