PROHIBITION IN THE UNITED STATES" '

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 100, 22 January 1919, Page 8

PROHIBITION IN THE UNITED STATES" '

A BRIEF SURVEY OF THE ;.'."'"'.- POSITION. •;.,■ The .following brief summary of the development of the Prohibition movement in 'the United States is supplied by the N.Z. Alliance:— The Prohibition movement in America has had three'distract phases':— 1. Local option, which is familiar to all New Zealandors. ''-' 2. State Prohibition, which would be better understood by Australians than New Zealanders. • 3. National Constitutional Prohibition'. —To understand this a bit ' of history is necessary. .' When the "rupture occurred- between the colonies in .Aifierica and the Government of George l 111- these' States banded together to form the American Commonwealth. They were very jealous, however, of, local rights, and they provided that each of the thirteen States should have its own Legislature, dealing with local matters, while national matters would' bo dealt with by the central Federal Government'. An elaborate Constitution was drawn up that was calculated to ensure no trespass upon State rights either by the.nation as. a whole or by the National Government. This Constitution could only be amended by the National Government getting a "two-thirds majority. to any proposal, and submitting the proposal, to the Legislature of all the States in the Union. Three-fourths of these State Legislatures had to ratify the proposed amendment before it came into'effect. The anti'saloon forces of the United States recognise that there was no' permanent solution to the liquor problem until the entire nation had Prohibition. As long as any individual States tolerated the liquor traffic it was difficult for Prohibition States to enforce their own Acts. Consequently some years ago the slogan, "A saloonless nation in 1920" was adopted, but untjer the pressure, of war conditions this has been realised a year ahead. . On January 1 of this year 30 of the .48 States had adopted State Prohibition.. On December 1 last year every brewery and, distillery in' the U.S. closed down,') (because a Federal law dealing with the acceleration of agriculture forbade the use of any grains for liquor purposes. Further, on July 1 next, by special'war legislature, the salo of alcoholic liquors will cease in the U.S. until President Wilson declares demobilisation has been accomplished. In 1917 the Federal Government of the U.S. passed the Prohibition amendment to the Constitution. During 1918 14 of the State Legislatures ratified tho proposal. In January of -tilts year, .as advised by recent cable message, 22 more States have ratified. No State has vet refused to ratify, and probably 44 States in'all will come.into line. But the required three-fourths. i.e., 36 States, are now secured,• and therefore the issue is settled. •, • This Constitutional Prohibition becomes effective twelve months after ratification, and therefore becomes operative a year from now. It is linrdlv conceivable that President Wilson will declare demobilisation completed inside a year. Therefore,, starling'with Julv 1 next, the U.S. of America are through finally and completely with alcoholic beverages. This is the most significant and far-reaching social reform that the world has ever known. The actual amendment that has been passed reads as follows: ■ The manufacture, sale, or trans- 1 • pnrtation of intoxicating . liquors within, the importation /thereof into, and the exportation ' thereof . from the United States and all - territory «ul)icct to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes are hereby prohibited. Section 2: The Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation, and nothing in this : Wticle shall deprive the several SM.es of.-their newer to enact and enforce laws prohobiting the traffic in intoxicating liquors.