VOLSTEAD ACT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17174, 3 February 1930, Page 7

VOLSTEAD ACT

CLARIFICATION PROPOSED

RIVAL LEADERS' STATEMENTS

(Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.»

(Received Feb. .'l, 10 a.m.) WASHINGTON, .Feb. 1

The consensus of "Wet" and "Dry" opinion in and out of Congress to-day opposed Mr. Fort's proposals for the clarification of the Volstead Act.

Mr. Lehlbach, a noted "Wet," said: "There is only one way in'which to enforce. prohibition honestly and sincerely—drop shams and subterfuge, declare the userof the alcoholic beverages a criminal, and turn our enforcement forces against him. In this way we have a certain and prompt showdown for prohibition."- •■ Senators -Shepherd and ■ Bpjah, iwellknown , "Diys, '# eliarn.c|e"risf i d ) Mr. Fort 's, interpretations ,-as '<f'Ja mounting to nullification." ""'-*',/•' Senator Whitehouse declarea informally that Mr. Fort was not speaking for Mr. Hoover. t \ ■;•, .-.,, ~„ >.-..■>' r;' i! v

The Prohibition Commissioner,' Mr. Do ran, said: "A few people make beer fit to drink, and soon tire of it." ■-•• ' •

The association against the Eighteenth Amendment issued a statement declaring Mr. Fort "illiterate as concerns the constitution, and the modification he proposes is illegal."

The Eighteenth (Prohibion) Amendment to the Constitution was submitted to the States by Congress on December 18, 1917. The first State (Mississippi) ratified it on January 8, 1918, and on January 1(5, 1919, the thirty-sixth State (Nebraska) ratified it, whereupon, by proclamation of the Secretary of State, January 29, 1919, it became effactive one year from the date, January 16, 1920, By February 2fi, 1919, the Legislatures of 45 States had ratified it; the forty-sixth State, New Jersey, ratified it on March 9, 1922. It was not ratified by Connecticut and Rhode Island. In nearly all the ratifying-States the vote was decisive and in the majority overwhelming. New York, Maryland and Nevada have no State Acts.

The Volstead Act (the National Prohibition Act) was drawn up to enforce the Eighteenth Amendment whea it came into effect, and was passed 1 by Congress early in Octobe>r,. 1919. : It was vetood by President and was immediately passed over his veto on October 28—the vote gyi the House being 176 to 55, and in the- Senate 65 to 20. The Willis-Campbell Act strengthening the' Prohibition Act 'became law on November 23, 1921.

On the date the Eighteenth Amend-' ment was, declared ratified there were six States that were "bone dry": by' popular vote. These were Washington, 'Oregon,-Montana, Colorado, Utah and Arizona, with 4.2 .per.cent, of the total population of the United States. There were six States "bone dry" by legislative Act—ldaho, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Georgia and Florida —with 7.6 per .cent, of the total population. There were 18 States with State-wide restrictions, but affording some method for residents to obtain .alcoholic beverages lawfully. These were Alabama, Arkansas,* Indiana, lowa, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina,. .Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia, with'32.s per cent, of the total population. The remaining 18 , States— Varmont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Ohio, Kentucky,' Illinois, Winconsia, Minnesota, Missouri,, jjouisiana, Wyoming and California—with 55.7" per cent, of the total population, were "wet," that is, without any State-wide "dry" law. All the States which had '' bone dry" law s had acquired them after the World War begin in 19T4.