Milford chronicle., 1932-12-02
HASTINGS IN
LINE UP FOR
DRY REPEAL
fC0ntinued from Err PGael


directly or indirectly, by the De-
partment of Justice or any other
department of the Federal govern
ment, for the purpose of prosecut-
ing any person or persons, or any
corporation for any crime commit
ted under the act of Congress, COM
monty called the Volstead act,
where such crime was committed
wholly within a State, the law of
which, at the time this act takes eff
feet, does not provide for the en-
forcement of the provisions of the
eighteenth amendment to the Fed
eral constitution.
"Section 2-The purpose of this
act is TO withdraw the support of
the Federal government to the en-
forcement of the eighteenth amend
ment to the Federal constitution in
those States which have failed or re-
fused by lack of legislative cooper
alton to assist the Federal govern
ment in the enforcement of such
amendment.
Section 3-This act shall take
effect sixty days after its approval"
He asserted that there never
was a chance to make prohibition
effective in any State that did not
cooperate with the Federal govern
ment by enacting appropriate legis-
lation."
'At the present time" Senator
Hastings explained, 'some eighteen
States have either failed to act, or
by the recent election the voters
have instructed their representa-
tives to repeal it,"
Continuing Senator Hastings said:
"It is roughly estimated that the
amount directly expended by the
Department of Justice in these eigh-
teen States amounts to something
like the sum of $4,000,000 annually.
my proposal does not take away
any of the protection now afforded
the States that have an enforcement
statute, because it excludes from
prosecution only those crimes COM
mitted wholly within a State having
no enforcement act.
"'The States from which. the Fed
eral Government withdraws its sup
port cannot complain that this
amounts to notification, because, as
l have pointed out, it is as much of
a State obligation as it is Federal
obligation. The other States ought
not to complain for this proposal
leaves them in the same position
they now find themselves.
"The announcement made by the
governor of California that he will
forthwith pardon all persons con-
victed of the violation of the en-
forcement law of California, demon
strates the necessity of some drastic
action to prevent the conflict be-
tween Federal and State law from
becoming more ridiculous.
"An authorization to sell beer in.
those States having no enforcement
law would make the effort of the
Federal Government to enforce the
Volstead Act in those States so pos
itively futile that it ought not to be
"Those persons who believe that
a sufficient appropriation plus an
honest and vigorous effort upon the
part of the Federal Government
could make the Volstead Act effec-
tive everywhere, must bear in mind
that there is in this country great
revolt against the expenditures OF
The public money for such purposes.
"The Congress, in my judgment,
Is in duty bound to appropriate rea-
sonable sums, and the Executive Is
in duty bound to make reasonable
effort to enforce this law so long as
the 18th Amendment is a part OF
I h 1raly 1Inft
Is required to do more than the in
lividual States and when any State
to cooperate, the Federal
duty to that State
ceases.
1--WE must not get the impression
hat because of the present senti-
nent of the country against the
Amendment the conflict
against the sale of liquor will not
continue in the future as it has in
he past. We have undertaken to
lse the Eighteenth Amendment as
IN instrument to prevent its sale. In
ny Judgment, it has been failure.
We must find some new instrument.
rhe Eighteenth Amendment intend
ID the cooperation of the national
ind state governments. 1t never
,ould have succeeded without such
Many of the states have
evolted against the interferences in
heir local affairs by the Federal
government. My proposal leaves the
tates to do just exactly as they
,lease with respect to the liquor
uestion. They are limited at the
resent time by the Eighteenth
amendment, but while the question
f the repeal of the Eighteenth
amendment is being considered, the
Ian l propose may serve as a valu-
- I'll