U.S.A. Liquor Laws

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 49, 21 November 1932, Page 11

U.S.A. Liquor Laws

_ r ’ - r£J l^.f :aW f s - tell 113 that Governor Rolf of Calitornia is presenting pardons to those imprisoned for violation of the Volstead Act, which is the machinery for Siving effect to 010 ISth Amendment in ' the U.S.A. The Governor is sworn to uphold.the Constitution and the Jaws of the U.S.A. The Volstead Act is still law, ■• aud the 18th Amendment is still part of the Constitution—and likely to remain so. A 'betrayal of his sacred oath of offir-e isi a detail, apparently, to a Governor, and he tells the world that observance of a law which has not been repealed or modified is quite unnecessary. May I briefly state the position as regards the prohibition regime in the U.S.A.? The present Congress remains m office till March next. It has already ■'' refused to pas's several beer Bills submitted. It is not likely to pass one in the short March session. The new Congress wil Inot function till December, . 1933. Even if it amends the Volstead ’ law to say that liquors of, slay, 4 or 40 ’ : per cent, are not and that therefore their manufacture and sale is no longer prohibited, it is highly probable that the Supreme Court of tie U.S.A. will hold such an amendment illegal as , ■being, a violation of the 18th Amendment. It will take time to submit the case to the Supreme Court, and in the interval probably beer, etc., will be put on sale. But 42 States have their own prohibition laws, which remain in force, even supposing the 18th Amendment was repealed. The manufacture, importation and sale of beverage alcoholic liquors therefore - must remain prohibited in these States until the people hare repealed the State laws. To repeal the 18th Amendment a twothirds vote in both Houses of Congress is necessary to submit the proposal for - repeal to the 48 separate State legisla- - ■ tors, and to secure repeal 36 out of the 48 must agree to the proposal. If 13 . States refuse to.act, or if 13 States reject the proposition, repeal is impossible. ‘ As I have said, 42 States have themselves prohibited 'the liquor traffic and their prohibitions stand. Are 30 of them likely . to vote repeal of the 18th Amendment? Finally, considering how those opposed to prohibition have howled and sat :n sackcloth and ashes, so to speak, because of alleged law-breaking under prohibition, it id distinctly interesting to find them jumping into world prominence with an open invitation to all classes to violate a law which is still a law.—l am. etc., J. MALTON-MURRAY, Gen. Sec., N.Z. Alliance. Wgton., Nor. 16.