Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1930-05-23
Dwight ". MorrOw's Stand On
Prohibition.

man. he is also a lawyer of notable ability
and achievement. And to his mastery in
business and in the law is 10 be added the
rich knowledge of a lifelong student. He
Is the most learned man in the nature and
growth of political institution to enter
American public life since Woodrow Wilson
appeared twenty years ago The speech he
oe'ivered before the voters of New Jersey,
thursday night Of last week, is referred to
as profoundly significant. From il the fol-
lowing extracts are taken:
come before the Republican voters of
rev Jersey as a candidate for the Repub-
'lcan nomination for the Office of United
states Senator. Upon the resignation of
Senator Edge was rendered the appoint
ment to the United States Senate BY the
governor OF the State. The work in Mexico
and Tie protracted session of the naval arms
conference in London made il impossible
FOR me 10 accept the position by appoint
ment. had. however. sienified my will.
ineness TO stand before the voters. There.
fore am here tonight.
A man who accepts party nomination
accepts the general obligations of the party.
This does not mean that he shall follow
party blindly. but it does mean that he
snail try TO cooperate with his party only
where his conscience compels him to be-
lleve that his party is wrong.
The control of liquor has for long time
been one OF the difficult problems Of all
governments. There are people who believe
that the prohibition of intoxicating liquors
under any circumstances by any govern.
ment Is an infringement on the right of
he individual to lead his own life in his
own way.
do not share that view. Ii has been
generally recognized that all governments
have a right TO protect man against his
propensities II the injury to the community
Is sufficient to warrant the interference with
individual liberty. The prohibition move
ment is recognition of this principle.
IL is not my purpose to discuss in general
the merits OF prohibition as policy. That
as conceive it. is not the issue. The issue
Is whether It is practicable and in the
public interest to apply that policy to the
United States as a whole through the
agency Of the Federal Government. Il is
problem in government.
The peculiar characteristic of the Gov.
eminent Of the United States is its Federal
form. Under that form Of government we
look to our several States to perform Ger
tain governmental functions. and to our
Federal Government to perform 9th GOV
ernmental functions
Prior TO 1919 il was the State govern
ments that bore the principal RESPONSE
bility for dealing with the liquor question.
- Such functions as rested upon the
Federal Government in connection with
the liquor question were related TO the ex-
ercises OF its power over foreign and inter
state commerce aud its system Of taxation.
National prohibition went into effect
throughout the whole United States on
July I, 1919. by a special wartime act OF
Congress aud was continued after January
IL. 1920, uLder the power conferred on
Congress by the Eighteenth Amendment.
We have now had ten years OF experience
by which to judge tie new policy.
Bear In mind that we had proceeded in
this country for 1870 years under the theory
and the practice that the several States
OF the Onion were the government which
directly touched the lives Of the people.
II was the States which had such oreani-
cation as existed for the administration of
criminal law in general. IL was the States
that had built up police forces which made
enforcement Of local criminal law possible
With the coming into force of the pro-
hibitiOn amendment, however. vast new
criminal jurisdiction was assumed by the
Federal Government This involved not
only an organization Of new police force
but-what is even more important 1T in.
volved new attitude OF the people toward
the Federal Government aud the Federal
Government toward the people. The ex-
tremely delicate and sensitive problem Of
interference with The individual liberty Of
q man for the sake Of the social good of
the community was thereafter dealt with
not In terms Of small communities but in
terms of q mighty nation of i25.00O,0 900
people, with great climatic. racial and
social divergences.
In many States. where il is in accord
with prevailing popular sentiment. national
prohibition generally is believed TO be sue
cessful. Il is successful because Of the
active cooperation OF the people and Their
officials. In other States, including those
with the greatest population. the system
works badly because the people and their
officials do not cooperate with the Federal
agents and the Federal agents alone are
not able to exercise effective control. In
these States there exists resentment against
the attempt to impose a control which the
prevailing conscience of the people does
not accept.
Is IL well that large portions of our
people should conceive OF the Federal Gov
eminent as an alien and even hostile
powefi Is il well to have as a result a
lawless. unreeulated liquor traffic. attended
by a shocking corruptionf
IL is not fair to assume that all resent
ment against national prohibition is due
to desire for unlimited license to be in
temperate. There is no community in the
United States which desires that. The
resentment is due to the feeling that an
unreasonable control is being imposed.
There are many problems in human
living that are not susceptible Of a final
solution. The attitude Of the community
toward the traffic in liquor is such a
problem.
! am aware that the second section Of
the Eighteenth Amendment gives the
Congress and the several States concur
rent power" to enforce the amendment.
| am aware that the States can, II they