Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-16
DRY LAW REPEAL
URGED BY morrow
Ambassador, Opening Senate
Race, Favors Return to
State Control.
Continued From First Page.l


Continued From First Page)
more important questions which ma,
come before the United States Senat,
within the next six years. Tonight
q question seldom discussed dispassion.
ately. 1t Is a question which constantly
confuses moral principles with the ART
Of government.
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 in
toxicating liquors under any. circum-
stances by any government is an in
fringement on the right of the indi-
vidual to lead his own life in his own
way.
Believes In Right Of Restriction.
at do not share in that view. It has
been generally recognized that all gov
ernments have the right to protect a
man against his own propensities If the
injury to the community is sufficient to
warrant the interference with individual
liberty. The prohibition movement is a
recognition of this principle. 1t is not
o new movement.
1.-The liquor business has been for
centuries one of those businesses In the
conduct Of which the Government has
O direct interest, which warrants 1t in
putting restrictions upon the personal
liberty Of individuals. How much re-
striction 1t is wise to put on individual
liberty Is a question about which there
has been and will be great difference
Of opinion. The habits and character
Of the people, the size of the COM
n1unity, the extent of the participation
OF the people in the exercise of their
political rights are all important fac
tors In the determination of how far a
community can 60 In restricting indi-
vtdual liberty for human good.
1T Is not my purpose to discuss In
general the merits Of prohibition as a
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
% o whole through the agency OF the
Federal Government. It Is q problem
in government.
1.-THE peculiar Characteristic Of the
Government Of the United States Is its
Federal form. Under that form of
government we look to our several
States to perform certain governmental
functions and to our Federal Govern
ment to perform other governmental
functions.
States Once Bore Responsibility.
"Prior to 1919 it was the State gov
efnments that bore the principal respon-
sibility for dealing with the liquor ques-
ton. Such functions as rested
upon the Federal Government in con-
nection with the liquor question were
related to the exercise of its power over
foreign and interstate commerce and its
system Of taxation.
National prohibition went into effect
KRNv l.trt1N al
July !, 1919, by q special wartime act
Of Congress and was continued after
january II, 1890, under the power con-
ferred on Congress by the eighteenth
emendment. We have now had 10
years Of experience by which to Judge
the new policy.
Bear in mind that we had proceeded
this country for $50 years under the
theory and the practice that the several
states Of the Union were the Govern
n1ent which directly touched the lives
OF the people. It was the States which
had such organization rs existed for the
administration Of criminal law In gen.
eral. It was the States that had built
up police forces which made enforce
ment Of local criminal law possible.
With the coming into force of the
prohibition amendment, however, q vast
new criminal jurisdiction was assumed
BY the Federal Government. This in
volved not only an organization Of a
new police force, but-what is even
more Importantly involved q new atti-
tude Of the people toward the Federal
Government and of the Federal Govern
ment toward the people. The extremely
delicate and sensitive problem of inter-
ference 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 communi-
ties, but in terms Of q mighty Nation
matte, racial and social divergences.
Success Of System Varies.
"In many States, where it is in ac-
cord with prevailing popular sentiment,
national prohibition Is generally be-
neved to be successful. It is successful
because Of the active cooperation of
the people and their officials. In other
States, including those with the great
est populations, 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 con-
troll. In these States there exists re-
sentiment against the attempt to impose
o control which the prevailing con-
science of the people does not accept
Ii IL well Lnat large pOrtlOnS OF our
people should conceive of the Federal
Government as an alien and even a
hostile power? Is 1t well to have as q
result q lawless. unregulated liquor
traffic, attended by a shocking corrup-
ton?
"It Is not fair to assume that all re-
sentiment against national prohibition Is
due to q desire for unlimited license to
be incorporate. There Is no community
In the United States which desires that
The resentment Is due TO the feeling
imposed. -
Community Attitude Is Stressed.
'.There are many problems in human
living that are not susceptible Of final
solution. The attitude of the COM
nunity toward the trafnc IN liquor Il
such q problem.
at am aware that the second sec