Show Concurrent Power IT T HE main question regarding prohibition which remains remains re- re L mains to be settled seUle b by the supreme court is that presented by the state of Rhode Island It centers around the meaning meaning- of the words words concurrent power contained in the Eighteenth amendment giving to the federal and state governments concurrent power to enact legislation to give gic effect to the constitutional prohibition prohibition tion lion against t the e manufacture and sale of intoxicating I liquors The federal enactment known as the act defines intoxicating liquors as 35 anything having ing a higher alcoholic content than half of one per cent while some of the state laws define intoxicating liquors as ns anything having a higher alcoholic content than 5 per cent Manifestly the one does not II concur with tho the other and the question is which law shall govern Unless answered soon by the supreme court all sorts of friction is liable to result The question has been hoen presented in a way that involves the sovereign rights of the states It is now a n general opinion that tho the phraseology of the Eighteenth amendment in W this respect respect respect re re- re- re was unfortunate and that instead of leaving the definition of intoxicating liquor to ta be d determined d concurrently concurrently concurrently con con- currently by the federal and state governments o the tho amendment should have ha defined it itself Samuel who argued the case before the Senate committee when the V act was under consideration in a letter tetter to the New York Times makes the yer very shrewd guess that the supreme court will decide decide decide de de- de- de cide that the words concurrent pO power er mean menn that where the states concur in the act the act will be enforceable both in interstate commerce and also within those states but where the states refuse to concur concur concur con con- cur in the act net and have haye themselves legislated as to what constitutes intoxicating liquors tho the act will ill not govern if it conflicts with the state law Such a ruling of course would be entirely satisfactory satisfactory satis satis- factory to Rhode Island New Jerse Jersey and New York whose assemblies have legislated practically in favor of the manufacture and sale o of malt liquors and light wines which they say say are are but we fail I f tn C. C cnn 1 OIT II h i ln t r nill 1 lio h Of rl with Is IV IC wU JU b I b bv v. u words II concurrent power If Mr 1 is correct in his guess as to the action of tho the court what will there be to prevent some other state legislating in favor of or 3 or 4 or 5 per cent alcohol and defining that as ns liquor Prohibition leaders lenders say the drys are not worried It Tt all de depends on whether a n d dry diy y is i interpreted as a man looking looking- for a drink or as one who doesn't want it I A At t an any rate rale the expression of f General Obre Obregon on that he would rather see Mexicans e farmers than soldiers is refreshing after Carranza Former duchess in rags rags Headline But this is only fashionable in these days of or C li And now the President seems seems to fo be cutting a n few hearts out himself himsel f. f League of nations to undergo test test News News item What again 1 |