ENFORCEMENT OF PROHIBITION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17177, 22 October 1923, Page 11

ENFORCEMENT OF PROHIBITION.

! STATE GOVERNORS GIVE SUPPORT. | I By Telesrraph—Press Association—Copyright i Australian and j\ t .Z. Cable Association. NEW YORK. October 20. , The annual convention of State Go- ■ vernors, held at West Baden, Indiana, alter a stormy debate, adopted a re* ' solution pledging the members to give ! President Coolidge the “ fullest co-oper- ! ation," and asking for Federal aid in j the enforcement of bone-dry prohibij tion. PRESIDENTS STAND. t I WASHINGTON. October 20. ! Prohibition problems must be taken • directly to the American people, declared President Coolidge, addressing I the State Governors here, when they met him after the West Baden conference. “ The people, ’ the President said, tl formed their government and enacted their laws, and the machinery : provided by Congress and State Legislatures must be used to the full ca- | pacity to enforce the law. The United i States is not a nation of inebriates, or j hypocrites. The great body _of the ! people are thoroughly law-abiding, and I they are entitled to support and pro- ! tection. I prooose to give that support and protection to the limit, against i every lawless element. j CONFERENCE QUESTION. i 1 WASHINGTON, October 20. j President Coolidge, opening the Gov- < j emors’ Conference to discuss prohibi- j ! tion enforcement, pledged bis personal | and the Government’s support to that j | end. He urged the State Legislatures ! to extend their aid tor the same pur- . pose, declaring that any government J which did not enforce the laws was un- | worthy of tlje name of government and could not be expected to hold the , support of its own citizens or the re- ; snect of the informed opinion of the J world. ‘‘We can solve prohibition j problems by frank, candid consider*- j tion, not by prejudice and political in- j trigue.” i , The State Governors anrl President j J Coolidge agreed upon a plan for the j i enforcement of prohibition. i The principal features provide for | ! co-operation between federal ! I State, county and municipal authori- ] ' tics, the enlistment of Press support ; j for enforcement, the education of j school children concerning the evils of liquor, and the adoption of whatever j means found practicable to cause law- * less citizens and aliens to respect .the | majesty of the laws Governor Smith. of New Aorlc. and ! Governor Ritchie, of Maryland, asked for modifications of the Volstead law, j the latter declaring that it< was an inJ vasion of State rights.