The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-03-24
THURSDAY, MARCH "a, 1882
The Senate To Go On Record

The Senate, even as the House, will short
w be on record as regards individual pref
erence for the prohibition laws Senator
Willard Tydjngs. democrat, of Maryland,
is circulating petition in this body of Con-
gress which would cause the Judiciary Com
mittee to report pending measures affecting
the 9Th Amendment. At present he has
secured twenty-four names and reports that
there are fourteen more senator's who will
sign before March 80. This total of thirty
eight is, of course, eleven short of majority
and twenty seven short of the two-thlrds
needed to pass resolution amending the
Constitution.
Still if the Senate has thirty eight or more
names mustered on what is popularity termed
the wet side it will have done more than
any other recent session has been able to
accomplish. 1t will be the greatest strength
that the prohibitionists have shown
since the liquor laws went into effect. 1t
will duplicate the recent House vote and
will place all members of the 72nd Con-
gress on record, which is at present the pri-
mary purpose of those working for repeal
or modification of the 9th Amendment.
With national elections rapidly approach
ing there are few congressman who want to
have their campaigns disrupted by such a
controversial issue as prohibition.
Dry Organizations throughout the eoun-
try met this recent legislative action in the
Senate with the rather startling, but ex-
tremely foolish statement. that they would
oppose the reelection Of every member who
in any way aided or supported movements to
have wet legislation reported by committees.
They even made this declaration in the face
of frank utterance from the republican
floor leader in the Senate James E. Watson
of Indiana He has decided to join the pc
titioners. but solely because he believes that
it is only right that a test of prohibition
strength be made at this time.
We feel sure that Senator Watson and
others in his category who are, and always
have been. strong advocates of strict enforce
ment of the prohibition laws, will gradually
come to the opinion of those who are their
opponents in this issue. And that opinion is
that the dry organizations are not willing to
play fair with the American people. Hav-
ing achieved their end they refuse to reeog-
nize the right of anybody else to resort to
the same means as they did, if it means that
the noble experiment might be shelved
We know that Senator Watson's eonstitu-
cnts and those of other legislators similarly
moved to bring prohibition to real test in
this nation will not desert him because the
Anti-Saloon League or Methodist Board of
Temperance asks them to do SO.
Gradually opponents of prohibition are
accomplishing something in this nation. Per-
haps ultimately we may have true temper
anee. But it will never come behind the
strong arm of the law, but only with such
regulation and control as allow people to
exercise their own prerogatives in the matter
Personal liberty is highly priced in this ma
ton. When it was taken away from us an
avenue to commercialized crime was opened
We must close this, but before we can do
so we have to build new parallel route
that reaches the same destination without in
fringing upon such things as states rights,
home rule. ETC. 1t looks as if plans for this
new route are being drawn.