Evening star., 1930-12-03

There is some speculation as to an
alternative to prohibition which might
be found if the country we're sufficiently
impressed by the vote Of the American
Bar Association by referendum, Wf1icn
showed a wet majority. No answer to
this query is suggested in comment, but
the result is looked upon rs offering
an important contribution from pro-
feSsion which deals with law. Three
quarters of the membership OF the aSSo-
ciation participated in the vote, which
showed 1879 to 6,340 in favor of repeal.
The announcement is accepted by the
New Orleans TimeS-Pieayune as the
most important block of evidence as to
the lands wishes In the matter that has
thus far been presented" That paper
holds that certainly the legal proteS-
sion cannot be accused OF business self
interest in it's attitude, for one OF the
interchangeable facts arising from the
prohibition effort has been the tre-
mendouS congestion 1t has introduced
in our courts, through its multiplication
of law violations. From a professional
standpoint" continues the Times
Picayune, there will be, indeed, much
moaning at the bar Of justice when the
dry ship puts out to sea, as put she viii
when other professions and groups show
so intelligent group as the Amerl-
can Bar Association" advises the New
ark Evening News, "can continue its
usefulness by helping to formulate al
ternativeS from which the most effective
method of liquor regulation can be
developed" The News feels that this
group "is in close contact with human
nature" as an element In its quallhca-
tions.
Pointing to the training Of the mem
bers of the bar, which causes them to
be especially susceptible to the force OF
the legalistic arguments which, on the
prohibition side, have magn1f1ed
the importance of the doctrine of State
rights, the liberties OF the individual
and most of all the questionableness
of placing in the fundamental law a
basic sumptuary Decree" the Hartford
Times also urges that the association
address itself to the finding CT solu-
ton which, in the public mind, would
give some practical promise of bringing
about an alternative constitutional
amendment"
X X * X
1.-THE bar poll suggests" according to
the Cleveland Plain Dealer, "the de-
STABILITY of a nationwide referendum
on the question. In the last analysis, the
success or failure of any law depends on
the measure of public approval which 1t
commands. If the rank and file believe
in prohibition, their view will prevail
in the long run. If, on the other hand,
the eighteenth amendment and the
Volstead act are widely regarded as un-
wise and unsound, they can never pe
effectively enforced. Polls OF special
groups, like straw votes preceding po-
litical elections, may indicate q trend,
but they fail, also like the straw vote,
to reach enough people TO reflect clearly
what the majority Is thinking" The
Rockford MoIDing Star concludes: the
poll is simply Judgment by a group
of professional men on an existing law.
1t is an important Judgment, however,
because its source is in the profession
from which most of our legislators
come"
IAN interesting speculation" is pre-
sented by the Baltimore Sun "as to
what the lawyers of the country might
have done to stay the country from
embarking upon the prohibition expert
ment, which has proved so tragic fall
ure, if they had thrown their weight in
the various States against the proposal. ="
Recalling that 'the great majority were
hands off," the Sun concludes that the
present attitude should mean that the
effort being made to return control OF
it belongs, will have the vigorous sup
port of the organization, and with a
definite program to make its influence
felt"
The lawyers who expressed their op-
position to prohibition are declared by
the Boston Transcript to be plainly Of
the opinion that the amendment is an
intrusion Of specific legislation in the
organic law, and that its attempted en-
forcement Is a detriment and danger
to all law" The Transcript holds that
their opinion is worthy to be needed"
X y X x
Noting that "they say nothing regard
ing the nature of substitute temperance
legislation, If any," the Detroit Free
Press continues: 1.-THE opinion is an ex-
ceedingly general one. but 1t Is all the
more forceful on that account, and Is
sure TO have EaucH- -ght In tne final
aseazaOn 81 E0s Patton regardi1E the