Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-26

Prohibition Is declared 70 nave De-
come the chief topic of interest through
out the United States, and this fact Is
believed to have inspired the address OF
George w. Wickersham before the
American Society of Newspaper Editors.
The speakers position as chairman OF
the Presidents Law Enforcement Com
mission draws attention to his words in
dicating the possibility of modification
in the interest of maximum respect for
law and the success Of the temperance
movement. His implied criticism Of the
newspapers is assailed as unfounded.
Taking up the remarks on modifica-
ton, the Chicago Daily News states
that he made a parenthetical admis-
sion that was bound to start another
futile controversy" That paper con-
tinues: mr.. Wickersham deems It i'm
proper and tnexpedient, because OF his
Official position, to say exactly what he
thinks Of modification. In the circum-
stances he does well, of course, in re-
framing from ventilating his personal
views. But 1t was not consistent on his
part to make an admission that was
certain to be misconstrued and resented,
on one side, and welcomed and misin-
terpreted, on the other" The Daily
News emphasizes the scientific task OF
Mr.. Understands commission and Its
confidence Of all citizens of Intelligence
whether dry, wet or neutral"
X y II X
More favorable to the chairman Is the
comment of the Philadelphia Evening
Bulletin, which feels that 'he APP
proaches the whole problem, not with
the mind OF the dry propaganda, who
shuts his eyes to unpleasant facts OF
| unwise policies, but with the larger
view Of the disinterested, public-spirited
man who can see all sides of the ques-
ton. All the more then" continues the
| Bulletin, ought the great mass Of citi-
gems of moderate views, committed to
| partisanship on neither side Of the
| question, seriously consider their duty
| IN the light of the warning so forcefully
uttered by the former Attorney General
as to the menace of fundamental injury
to- American institutions in the as
sumption that anybody is at liberty to
fiout any laws he dislikes. The future
holds many possibilities as to changes
| in public sentiment and in public policies
on liquor control, and any citizen has
the right to work for such notifications
OF Constitution and laws as he desires
But the present holds one unacceptable
duty for all, to obey the law of the land
and discourage the spirit of anarchic
choosing, and picking which statutes
| one shall obey"
1t is suggested by the New York Eve
| ming Post that "Mr Wickersham has
again given us, with the gay detachment
OF legal mind, in moot court, lee
ture on prohibition" The Post quotes
his statement as to modification: 81
express no opinion on that point Opin-
| ions differ. That is fair field for dis
cussion." The Post holds that "the
final admission is a vast step forward, .
| and that "Mr. Wickersham Is evidently
following the Digest poll"
| + \ \
ION which side?" asks the Memphis
Commercial Appeal demanding an ex-
preston of opinion from Mr.. Wicker
sham. Further considering the matter
the Memphis paper says: "one cannot
political expediency has entered into
the thinking of Mr.. Wickersham and
the commission. Both vets and drys
| can quote from the record. The drys
| acclaim the recommendation for the
STRENGTHENING of the enforcement ma
| chinery and the assurances that things
are going well with prohibition. The
vets point to the letter read at the gov
| errors conference and the broad hint
| In the recent address to the editors that
modification is desirable. The commits
sion presumably is not In politics. The
members are perfectly free to express
their undisguised opinions"
With severe criticism of some promi-
nent persons who favor breaking of the
dry law, the Arkansas Gazette asserts
that "Mr. Wickersham was right wher
he warned against such utterances Al
these as breeding anarchy and called
on the American press to bring theil