Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 308, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 December 1919 — WETS WIN POINT IN HIGHEST COURT. [ARTICLE]

WETS WIN POINT IN HIGHEST COURT.

Dec. 22.—The supreme court today ordered the government to show cause on January 5 why original proceedings should not be instituted by the states of Rhode Island and New Jersey retail liquor dealers to have determined the constitutionality of the national prohibition constitutional amendment. Applications for permission to contest the amendment’s validity and seek injunction against its enforcement in those states were presented last week. m In both instances the amendment was alleged to conflict with the state police powers and with the federal constitution. In ordering the government to show cause, the court, according to government attorneys, followed an unusual procedure, as ordinarily in such instances permission to bring

such proceedings is given and a date fixed when’they are returnable. The court, however, was generally believed to have been prompted by the fact that as the amendment becomes effective on January 16 next, the procedure followed tVould expedite matters., . The court recessed until January 5 handing down an opinion on the constitutionality of sections of the Volstead prohibition enforcement act affecting the alcoholic contents of beer.