Evening star., 1933-11-12
LIQUOR IS PROBLEM
FOR EXTRA SESSION
IN WEST VIRGINIA
States Bone-Dry Law Com
pIicated Again When Repeal
Is Effective.
BY ROBERT II. HORNER.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

special DispHtch TO The Star.
CHARLESTON, w Va, November
11.-Repeal of the eighteenth amend
ment has brought to West Virginia q
new problem, which the Legislature, in
extraordinary session November 81, to
deal with tax matters, will be called
upon to solve.
West Virginia is still constitutionally
dry. Although 1t voted last June 81 to
repeal the national amendment, It will
not have an opportunity to determine
whether to retain prohibition in its own
constitution until the general election
In November, 1884, when a proposed
repeal amendment will be voted upon.
Meantime, the chief fear Of old.
timers, who saw the State 60 bone-dry
20 years ago, is that conditions Of dis
order which prevailed along the States
borders in its early dry days will return
to menace the peace and quiet Of the
communities.
Supplied at Borders.
In those days citizens went into adj
joining States to do their drinking and
some returned with package goods. In
Ohio, opposite Wheeling, was erected
what was called "the longest bar In
the world" and it was patronized
largely by West Virginians. Citizens
residing In the southern. end Of the
State went into Ohio, Kentucky and,
for q time, into Virginia, for similar
purposes.
As a consequence Of citizens return
ing to the State with personal supplies,
there were hundreds Of arrests and
searchings, particularly when con-
Quoted by questionable law officers, and
these affairs resulted in disorders OF
many kinds.
Now that the eighteenth amendment
has been repealed and some OF the sur
rounding States are expected to sell
LIQUORS, citizens are notifying legis-
lators they will be expected 10 enact
laws which viii protect the States
borders against a recurrence OF the olo
disturbances.
The States constitution does not now
liquors legally acquired, but it en-
phatically prohibits the manufacture
and sale>of such beverages.
Gov. Kump has not yet recommended
enactment of any laws in regard to
liquor control, although he is expected
to do so when the lawmakers as
semble.
Two Plans Proposed.
In his proclamation calling the 1egis-
lators to meet November Al, the Gov
ernor included q provision authorizing
consideration Of resolution TO revoke
and withdraw the proposed constitu-
tional amendment already submitted
for next years election and to submit
another proposed amendment to repeal
the present prohibition amendment.
Gov. Kump did not state his purpose
though 1t is assumed he acted on the
suggestion of the West Virginia Hotsl
Association and a group OF lawyers,
who seek to have the States prohibi
ton amendment repealed outright, IN
stead of containing the provision II
the present proposed repeal amendment.
which was designed to outlaw the saloon
by prohibiting the sale and consump
ton Of intoxicating liquors on the sam
premises.
The Safeguard against return Of IL
saloon" was inserted In the propose.
amendment when the Legislature sub
mitted 1t last Spring, after strong IN
fluences had been brought to bear upon
the lawmakers on the theory that the
people of the State would not repeal
the amendment unless it contained the
provision to outlaw the saloon.
Since last Spring, however, West Vir-
ginia has voted two to one to repeal the
eighteenth amendment, and this is said
to have caused meany persons TO
change their minds as to what the
people will do in regard to the amend
ment. Some Of those who formerly in
sisted upon the anti-saloon provision
now are advocating outright repeal,
preferring to leave entire control Of the
liquor problem in the Legislatures
hands.
Several Of the States newspapers.
since repeal Of the eighteenth amend
ment, have taken up In their editorial
columns a hight to keep the saloon out
lawed, and yet they favor adoption of
q plan to bring liquor into the state
for sale under control.
AS yet no control plan has been sug-
gested for the State.