Show Text of Coolidge Talk to Governors On Enforcement WASHINGTON Oc Oct The JO 20 The text of the Presidents President's address addrel fol- fol fol follows lows lowe It It I 1 Is my peculiar privilege e to welcome you iou here a as ILl one who by experience cai can look at OUr problems lenia lems lema with that sympathy which comes comae from common fellowship The Tha governorship of a a sovereign state tate of our nation le Is an exalted I position It outrank outranks within It its own jurisdiction with a single Ingle ex- ex ex exception every e ery other office In America It II 1 the very honor hOI Or that a can bestow A gathering of ot governors governor has hag a sll- sll sig significance greater th than any other convocation that can un be beheld beheld held I In the United stat States State It It would only be a matter r of large public Importance that could a gathering of ot the chief ex- ex es of the states tatu and the Os- Os naIon Oslon na nation tion lon Ion for tor a I a conference at Washing Washington ton You have hove been Invited here that I might l lay before you some of the problems problem for a better en- en enforcement enforcement en enforcement of law A statement of othe the purpose Is to Indi IndI- IndIcate Indicate cate the Importance for tor a 0 iw gO gOern goern- ern- ern em eminent ment which does not not enforce Its Ia laws la Is I unworthy of the name of a government and can not expect to hold tol either the support of Its Ita own citizens or the respect of the In- In Informed Informed In Informed formed opinion of the world joir ACtiON URGED That ours I Is le a dual system of Uon does not need to tobe tobe tobe be explained In this presence Joint power and joint exist exist which can best but be exercised and discharged by joint action While While certain classes of aliens alien easily eally distinguishable o ha been excluded from this country for considerable a considerable length of o time a gen gao gen gen-cral eral policy of restricting immigration leral tion broadly Inclusive hIlS ha only re- re recently recently ic been adopted The new law admits approximately aliens alien or about third one-third of the number coming coming- In annually under the old law before the war On the other hand the number desir desiring ing lug to enter Is now flow much larger and attempts to evade the ho law have bave greatly Increased It Is esti- esti estimated mated estl mated by the department of labor that there I Is a seepage over the border and nd through ports of about which Is H II consid consid- considerable considerable erable menace to the success of Immigration policy Such an Influx of persons persona entering the country In violation of the law Iw cannot tall fail to attract the attention of local po- po police police po police lice authorities along Iong our borders and on our sea ea coasts who can be beof beof of very great assistance In notifying the local representatives of the de- de de department of justice or the depart depart- department department department ment of ot labor In order that such person may be more readily ex- ex excluded ex excluded eluded and deported O ON NARCOTIC DRUGS Another problem exists Is world wide Ido Ide In In- some ome of Its s as- aspectS as aspects It Is considered of such auch Im- Im Importance importance Im Importance to our own welfare that special representatives of this country attended when then hen the league of nations recently considered the regulation of ot the opium opium traffic where their efforts met with largo large uc success ss The Tho national laws and the laws of most moat of the statu regulate the sale ot of narcotic drugs Their use except under the dh ot of competent medical advice I Is every every- everywhere everywhere everywhere where regarded as attended with grab gra grae e danger usually resulting In lamentable Th The mc e protection of the people from these thee results depends on our ability to prevent the smuggling und and unlawful unlawful ful fut sale Bale of such narcotics Their use Ical Is In part perhaps due clue to ph pbs pbs- s- s ical disease and In 10 part to lack of moral stamina stamina but their abuse Is almost holly a result of ot violations ot of the law It If the law IW can be en- en enforced enforced en enforced forced medical science would very soon rid the country of this men Taco menace ace This traffic I Is carried on secretly and evasively h ely It can only be detected and eradicated through a system of local Inspector and police The national secret service and enforcement officers can cope with the smugglers and the whole whole- wholesalers I salers but the peddlers and retail retail- retailers retailers retailers ers cannot carmot successfully be bo sup sup- sup suppressed pressed without the assistance of state and municipal 1 OF INTOXICANTS l The other problem which I wish to lay before ou Is 1 i that of tenth eight Intoxicating liquors The eight bythe tenth amendment was proposed by the congress In 1917 and Its ratification ratIfication ratification cation proclaimed In January 1919 1913 It prohibits the sale or transportation and the Im- Im Importation Im Importation and exportation of In- In IntoxIcating In Intoxicating liquors for tor be beverage crage pur- pur poses purposes and confers upon the con con- congress congress con congress gress and the states con con- concurrently con concurrently currently PO power er to enact enforce enforce- enforcement enforcement enforcement ment legislation This rower power as exercised by the ss In the then n prohibition oct act which es 8 thirds finally passed In October 1919 1818 t thirds tao o of the house of representatives e and senate present hav hay ing having voted In the affirmative e f tub Sub all 1 of the tho states elates have likewise passed enforcing acL acta un- un un der under the authority of the ho eighteenth amendment In all of the scales here bere had long been laws ing regulating the sale of ot Intoxicating liquors liquor and prohibit t In many of the state states t on bad already been adopted STATES EI HAVE IL flU DU IT Neither the amendment nor tile prohibition act undertakes undertake to the state states of ot their relative to intoxicating liquors liquor but on the other hand the amendment confers 1 upon them thorn and the prohibition act authorizes state tte and local prosecuting ing lag attorneys attorney to brIng brine injunction proceedings In lit any court havIng heL equity powers power In the name ot of the United States The national prohibition act ct places the duty of o Its enforcement on the commissioner of o Internal revenue his assistants agents and Inspectors inspector In accordance there there- therewith therewith therewith with there Is an IOn assistant nt commis slone In direct charge charee of ot prohibition prohibition tion enforcement and there are prohibition agents and Inspectors In each state Corresponding pro pro- pro provisions visions will be found In nearly all state law laws The constitution and the law lawS of the nation and of the state are binding alike upon alt 11 the Inhabitants It Is the constitution constitution constitution tion which Tie ne e have given our oath oaths to the support support the constitution which requires of the president that he shall take care that theLt the 10 laws be faithfully executed and the Iho state constitutions constitution I lay a a similar obliga obliga- obligation obligation obligation tion upon their governors gO CONSTITUTION IS PLAIN The constitution and ond the laws are perfectly plain and the directions directions directions which they contain to the president and the governors are equally equall plain Tho countr country ought to know all 1 this It ought to un- un understand un understand just jut what duties the laws have imposed It ought to corn com comprehend com comprehend that when laws lava have been made there Is and nd can be no ques ques- question ques- ques question tion ion about duty of ot executives to enforce them with Ith such Instruments Instruments ments menta and by such means as s the I law w provides for tor securing enforce enforce- enforcement enforcement enforcement ment They ha hae have e no They cIOn cannot not be criticised tor for doing their duly duty This Is Ii not a politico political I question It cannot be made mode a po- po political po political question It If there thero bo be any principle which has baa been established established by time by common consent by tho the unqualified assertion of fundamental and statute law Iw It Is that executives executive are the law ing log officers ot of o this nation It If this were not so 0 there thero would be b no warrant for tor the present I can conceive e bot but one opinion on this In which every ery es cry responsible element must concur PROHIBITION OBLIGATORY No Ko provision of ot the eighteenth amendment or the national pro pro- prohibition prohibition pro prohibition act act contemplates any cur sur- surrender render Bur render of ot state responsibility Un- Un Under Un Under der dec them prohibition becomes become obligatory In all II states for or the constitution and the laws made In pursuance thereof are specifically declared by the federal constitution tion to be the supreme law Iw of the theland theland theland land They are binding upon eHr inhabitant But there stilt still remains to the states the power specificallY reserved In the eighteenth amend amend- amendment amendment ment mont to pass pus enforcing acts and there I Is till still on them II a a joint re- re responsibility re responsibility to enact and execute enforcement laws s which may not always alway be exercised but which can canne ne neer er be avoided The complementary duty to en- en en enforcement of the law Is to the law That rests with the people themselves The eighteenth amendment prohibits manufacture transportation sale t and Im- Im Import Import Im Import port These are the commercial ac- ac ac activities th Trade In Intoxicating liquors for beverage purposes Is especially denounced It Is In this field that most roost of the diffIculty The Tho main problem arises from those ho aho v ho are bent on making money by an Illegal 1 traffic In Intoxicating liquors It If this could be eliminated the rest would I De DC elLS easl PROn PROBLEM 1 FOR FOH PEOPLE These Theeo problems must roust be taken taen directly to the American people This government Is their govern goern- go government ern- ern ment these thee law lass la are their laws They have hae formed their govern govern- government government government ment and enacted their 1 laws s with all due solemnity to promote th their lr welfare and protect their liberties They are not a nation of Inebriates they are not a people who can cOon be charged with being b hypocrites They have bave no patience with anarchy They are aro a sober frank and candid people They have respect and reverence for tor duly constituted authOrity To them the law I Is a arule arule arule rule of action These Thele fundamental national characteristics are arc not go- go go ing hog going to be changed Th Thise se funda funda- fundamental fundamental mental conceptions are going to remain remato permanent MAJORITY LAW LAV ABIDING The great body of the people are thoroughly law Iw abiding This great law abiding elem element nt of ot the tho nation I Is entitled to support and protection I propose to h give gio 0 that support and protection to the limit pro by the constitution and I limitI the law of the land against every lales clement element The executives executive era are required to enforce the law The machinery for tor the cement ento ot of the law Is that supplied by the acts of congress congre and tho the acts ot of the state tte legislature That mo- mo ma chinery machinery must be used to the full extent of ot Its capacity to secure the enforcement ot of o the law It I Is cor- cor certainly my own purpose so to It The people use are going to continue con- con to yield obedience to the law nils principle will continue to pro vail whenever the American pro pro- pro people shall pa pass judgment upon It It because bause It Is Sa the foundation of ot all ll their Institutions Institution I FRANKNESS DESIRED Wo We can only make meke with these problems by their frank trank and candid consideration They are not going to be decided by prejudice They are arc not going to tobe tobe tobe be answered as DS a result of ot political intrigue They are lOre not to tobe tobe tobo be determined by extremities on eIther side Thoy They are aro not going to tobo tobe tobo bo be solved In accordance with Ith Ith any ny sordid motive motie moth e They will 11 yield to the tho calm colm and clear judgment of the American people through a de- de determined de determined el expression of ot their high moral purposes The Th Tb law represent senta tents sent the voice of the tho leople Do- Do Behind hind Bo-hind hind it and nd supporting It it In It a II dh sanction enforcement nt of law and ond obedience to law v by the very cr na- na nature na nature ture of ot our Institutions are aro not matters of choice In la this I but the expression of a moral re- re reQuirement re requirement ot living In accordance with the troth They u a-u clothed nith a spiritual significance In I Is r revealed the Ifo or the death of the American Ideal deal of government government self |