QUICK MARCH TO REPEAL.

Evening Star, Issue 21515, 13 September 1933, Page 8

QUICK MARCH TO REPEAL.

There have been many remarkable developments in the United States since President Roosevelt assumed office on March 4, but one of the most surprising has been the sentiment for repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment as expressed in the successive State elections for conventions to act upon repeal. Who twelve years ago would have thought such a revolution of feeling possible? To-day wo are told that Maine, which for over eighty years has had State Prohibition, has ratified repeal of the amendment. When the landslide began the “ drys ” hoped that it would bo arrested in July by Alabama, Arkansas, and Tennessee, for that was the month fixed for the conventions in those traditionally “ dry ” States. To the discomfiture of tho Prohibitionists, however, each of the three States voted for repeal by substantial majorities, and this was regarded as the signal of a general stampede • for ratification. So it has proved. Twentysix States in succession have decided, against the Eighteenth Amendment, and I'lohibition is now looked on as a lost cause. Action to effect repeal is required by thirty-six out of the forty-eight States. This is now virtually assured, and before the end of the year this amendment to the Constitution, ushered in amid salvos of delight and hope from the anti-liquor forces, will without any reasonable doubt be thrown into the discard. Mr William E. (“ Pussyfoot ”) Johnson was among those who tried to stem the tide. He made a tour in June of the north-western States. “ I made about 200 dry speeches,” he said, “ but did no particular good. The more speeches I made tho wetter the country became, so I decided to beat home while the going was good.” This ivas a recognition of defeat accepted in a philosophic spirit. The text of the pending amendment does not specify any waiting period after ratification of repeal of the Eighteenth. As soon as the Secretary of State proclaims the change in the Constitution the entire question of the liquor traffic will be turned over to tho States. The Prohibition Amendment was put into the Constitution because three-fourths of the States had decided that the problem of intoxicating liquors was so difficult that they could not solve it. Therefore the burden of making the country bone dry was put upon the Federal Government. Under the new conditions the States will grapple with the problem again. Tho Twenty-first Amendment, in addition to repealing the Eighteenth, will put into tho Constitution an obligation on the part of the Federal Government to prevent the importation of liquor from “ wet ” into “ dry ” territory. This clause embodies the only remnant of jurisdiction over the liquor traffic which the Federal Government will retain, except in the matter of taxation. All control, other than Federal taxation, will be returned to the State authorities. Even the regulation of interstate commerce in liquor will depend on State initiative, since Washington will act in this particular only to carry out State law. It is a matter for speculation as to how the States will discharge the responsibility thrust upon them. Some probably will cling to Prohibition, and in the others, no doubt, there will be a great diversity of method and practice, and various systems of control and regulation adopted by other countries will be tried, fn building on tho ruins of Prohibition there is one sentiment that is likely to prevail in most of tho States, and that is the feeling against the old system of the open bar. It would appear that the chief result of tho impending change will bo that a vast industry that has been carried out underground will take its place beside other legitimate industries. The criminal activities that have accompanied Prohibition will, it is hoped, be suppressed. Bootleggers and speakeasy proprietors and their crowds of parasites will lose their profitable occupations, and the power of the gangsters, with their elaborate system of bribery, will lie weakened. With a network of intrigue and corruption removed tho authorities should be able better to cope with the ordinary crim-

inal activities. It is clear that the nation as a whole is convinced of the failure of Prohibition. It was a great experiment that will be cast aside as soon as three-fourths of the States have given their assent to the repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment. That is only a matter of a very few months.