Lawlessness and Disrespect for Law

Lawlessness, Disrespect for Law and Anarchy

While many of you may know that all my life I have been a Prohibitionist, that I stand firmly for the 18th Amendment, for its retention in the Constitution of the United States, and for the Volstead Act and for its enforcement, and while I have made a public announcement that if in our two great National parties men cannot be found for office who live in accordance with the laws of our country and who are in favor of having our laws enforced, I stand ready to join a third or fourth or any other party that favors enforcement, nevertheless, ¶

I feel as if it would be unwise and perhaps improper for me in the heat of the present great National campaign to make an extended argument in favor of Prohibition or the 18th Amendment since on these subjects honest, law-abiding, high-minded citizens have such greatly diversified views. ¶

Not Good for Man

Speaking as I am to this great conference of Latter-day Saints, however, I cannot resist the temptation to quote these few words from the Doctrine and Covenants : ¶

"Behold, verily, thus saith the Lord unto you * * * I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom," a portion of which reads, "Strong drinks * * * are not good for man." (Doctrine and Covenants, Section 89.) ¶

Alcohol a Narcotic

Nor can I resist the temptation to add that the 18th Amendment came and in my opinion it and Prohibition also will finally prevail, because in this scientific age it has been demonstrated that alcohol is not a desirable food nor is it in any sense a stimulant, as was formerly believed. Science tells us it is a poison, it is a narcotic. It compels human nerves to tell falsehoods. It makes men think they are doing more work when scientific measures show that they are actually doing less. It makes the poor man think he is rich, it makes the sick man think he is well. When the masses of the people are so educated that they know and understand the truth about alcohol as they now know that the earth is round and that vaccination is effective, then alcohol should be and I expect it will be avoided and will be prohibited with the same vigor and unanimity that the use of morphine is prohibited. The wise, the good, the ambitious, the educated people of the world will be too much interested in efficiency to have their own and their children's chances of success reduced by the use of this poison, this narcotic — alcohol. ¶

Loyalty to Eighteenth Amendment

If I were making an appeal to you on this occasion in the interest of Prohibition and the 18th Amendment I would draw your attention to the resolution passed last June by the Mutual Improvement workers of the Church, when, in their annual convention 10,000 strong and representing 125,000 workers, they declared their loyalty to the 18th Amendment and to our Prohibition laws ; also pledged their support to officers and candidates for office who respect these laws, who live in accordance with them and who strive for their enforcement. I would draw attention too to the statement on this subject by the General Boards of the Mutuals as it appeared in the September Era. It says : ¶

Giving Up Food and Clothing for Drink

"The M. I A. has always stood and will continue to stand for the non-use of liquor. We believe and teach that it is not good for man. Alcohol strikes at the very foundation of human progress. The M. I A. helped to secure Prohibition and regards it as the most successful means yet tried or devised by this or any other nation for dealing with the liquor traffic. Laws are rarely one hundred per cent successful. Since the observance and enforcement of this legislation would mean that the laborers of our country would buy food, clothing, shelter and education for their families with the money that might otherwise be spent for drink, the M. I A. stands strongly against repeal and strongly for the enforcement of our liquor laws. The ground already gained, which has cost so much in time, effort and money ought not to be lost, it ought not to be surrendered. Liquor has always been and it will continue forever to be the intimate ally of crime. Fighting the one is the surest way of decreasing the other. Let us struggle on and on and on. Since this enemy of the happiness, prosperity and success of mankind can never be completely eliminated, good citizens will always have it to fight." — General Boards Young Men's and Young Women's Mutual Improvement Associations. ¶

"We Are at War!"

But the subject upon which I desire to speak is lawlessness, disrespect for law and anarchy. ¶

The condition of our country with respect to lawlessness and anarchy is such that John J. Pershing says, "We are at war !" that the conditions confronting the United States today are more serious than those we faced in France. (American Magazine, June, 1932, p. 15.) ¶

The Law Breaker of Today

The law breaker of twenty years ago was a cringing, shabby, repulsive creature who shyly attempted to hide himself in alley ways and other dark places. But conditions have changed. The law breaker of today is wearing fine clothes, flashy jewelry, he owns and drives high-powered speed boats and high-powered motor cars ; his pockets are bulging with money. These are the racketeers, the gangsters, the bootleggers and kidnapers, who, equipped even with machine guns, have such power, influence and financial strength that they are actually threatening the very life of our government ; they are undermining the foundation of our republic. Surely the citizens of the nation should be alarmed, they should be aroused when the very existence of our government is in peril. ¶

The Drinker Is Responsible

There are those who assert that Prohibition is responsible for this alarming condition. I deny it. It is not the law nor is it the bootlegger, but it is the buyer of liquor, the purchaser of drink, it's the one who furnishes the money that is responsible. Without the buyer, without the purchaser of alcoholic liquor, there would be no bootlegger, there would be no drinking, there would be no drunkenness. ¶

Guilty Public Officials

If we have weak, dishonest or criminally guilty public officials, perhaps the blame should be placed at their door. ¶

The statement has been made and it has been broadly circulated that the people of Utah actually elected and sent into our state legislature men who were and are themselves law breakers. You all know of course that the Prohibition law in Utah is a rigid one. In our state he who has liquor in his home or even in his hand or otherwise in his possession is a law breaker. Do you, do I, do we all realize the seriousness of selecting and electing as our legislators those who themselves are breakers of this or any other law? ¶

Buying Votes with Liquor

Can you imagine the people of Utah sending to the legislature men whose votes could be bought with a flask of liquor? I appeal to you with all the earnestness that I possess not to elect any of this sort to the legislature of the state of Utah or any other state on the 8th day of November next. ¶

What a reflection upon the state of Utah to have a lobbyist drop and break a bottle of booze on the floor of our legislative halls ! Imagine, if you can, how many of the votes cast by our legislators, by those whom you and I elected, were bought and paid for with illegal and unlawful liquor. ¶

Functions Where Law Is Broken

For many years I have sent a personal questionnaire to those for whom I have had opportunity to vote asking candidates for public office to advise me confidentially or otherwise whether or not they live in accordance with the law, whether they favor the enforcement of the law, and in addition I have urged them if elected to join me in a resolution not to participate in any function, social or otherwise, where the law is broken. ¶

Vote Only for Those Who Respect the Law

I appeal to you in this serious hour, when "we are at war," when the conditions confronting us are more serious than those we faced in France, to cast your ballots for those candidates only who are law abiding, who have real respect for the law and who want it enforced. If the people of the country generally will vote for law breakers, if they will elect such men to public office, then with certainty will government of the people, by the people and for the people vanish from the earth. ¶

Reflection on State

How serious is it to be an intentional, a premeditated, a flagrant and defiant breaker of any law? While for the average citizen to be such a law breaker is serious, for a legislator of the state of Utah to be thus guilty is unpardonable, it is a serious reflection upon the good name of the voters of this state. ¶

God Have Mercy on Us

What strength, what value will there be in any law, even in that law which protects us in our property rights, if we degenerate to such a degree that the law breaker has to be arrested by a man who is equally guilty of breaking the law ; that when he who is guilty is brought before the bar, that bar which is supposed to be a bar of justice, he has as his prosecutor a district, a city or a county attorney who is himself as guilty as the one he is to prosecute? What an unfortunate condition will prevail if we reach such a situation that the individuals who constitute the jury are as guilty of law breaking as is the man whose guilt they are expected to discover. And then finally, if in addition to. all of this, the judge or the justice who occupies the exalted place upon the bench does not himself have respect enough for the law to live in accordance with its provisions, God have mercy on us, for when this condition prevails government of the people, referred to by Abraham Lincoln, will surely be perishing from the earth. ¶

Stand for America

I appeal to you now, during this heated political contest, regardless of party, partisanship or politics to stand for America ; to stand for the Constitution of the United States ; to cast your vote only for those who have the character, the manhood, the stamina to live the law ; vote only for those who when they take that sacred, that solemn oath of office which says that they will support, obey and defend the Constitution of the United States will have the honor, the integrity, and enough of the genuine spirit of America to live in accordance with that pledge. I appeal to you to vote only for those who really live in accordance with our laws and who, if elected, will do their best to have the law enforced. ¶

By the Blood of the Revolution

Brethren and sisters, citizens of America, I ask you to imagine yourselves standing by the Lincoln monument in Springfield, Illinois ; I ask you to imagine again that your feet are on the sacred soil where stands that glorious American shrine, the Lincoln Memorial; and imagine again that you are looking into the face of him who has been called our greatest American — Abraham Lincoln — and then listen to these, his words: ¶

"Let every American swear by the blood of the Revolution never to violate in the least particular the laws of the country, and never to tolerate their violation by others." * * * "Bad laws," said he, "if they exist, should be repealed as soon as possible; still, while they continue in force, they should lie religiously observed." ¶

"Help Me, O Father!"

That wise philosopher, that great American, Benjamin Franklin, offered this appealing prayer: ¶

"That I may be loyal to my prince and faithful to my country, careful for its good, valiant in its defense and obedient to its laws, help me, O Father!" ¶

Sustaining the Law

"We [members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints] believe * * * in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law." (12th Article of Faith.) ¶

Listen to the words recently sent forth by the First Presidency of the Church and the Council of the Twelve: ¶

"* * * We do not hesitate to give the emphatic counsel that it is the unqualified duty of every citizen * * * loyally to support the 18th Amendment and the laws of Congress in relation thereto."— Improvement Era, Sept., 1932. ¶

I Stand with Leaders

I -stand with Lincoln and Franklin, with the Church and with the General Authorities for the enforcement of the law. I appeal to you and to all the people of the nation to come to the support of the Constitution of the United States, I appeal to you to stand with me when I say, "God helping me, I will not knowingly cast my vote for any candidate for any office unless I have reasonable assurance that he lives in accordance with the law, that if elected he will live in accordance with the sacred oath of office he will be required to take, and that he will do his best to see that all our laws are respected and that the people live in accordance with them." ¶

High-Class Citizenship

If ever the United States of America needed, if ever our country's conditions demanded, high-class citizenship, it is now, in this year of our Lord, one thousand nine hundred and thirty-two. I trust, I pray this need, this demand of the country for loyalty, for statesmanship, and for devotion to law and order will not be in vain. ¶

Youth Speaks

This is an age, or perhaps it would be more accurate to say, this is the age of young men and young women. This is a time in which "Youth Speaks." If you desire to feel the pulse, if you desire to know the heart throbs of at least one of the young people of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, read in the Era, the organ of our young peoples' Improvement Association, for the month of October, an article written by George Albert Smith, Jr. Here is one of our Mutual Improvement workers who is but a boy fresh from college. I mention him as typical of the youth of the Church. As I speak he is on his way to Harvard to do work as a graduate student. He writes upon the subject, "Are You a Wet Dry or a Dry Dry?" ¶

Determined Young Manhood

In every sentence you will feel the strength, the determination of his strong, youthful character, his noble manhood. You will feel the deep and determined resolution which throbs in his breast. Like this excellent young man the great majority of the young people of the Church are struggling to live in accordance with the highest Christian ideals, to follow in the footsteps and to follow the example of those pioneers, great and glorious, who laid so well the foundations of this marvelous intermountain commonwealth. You will find in the hearts of the young folks of the Church an ambition so to live today that they may be worthy of their noble pioneer ancestors of yesterday. ¶

Faith in Almighty God

In this serious crisis when "we are at war," when the conditions we are facing are more serious than those we faced in France, .let us have faith in Almighty God as did Washington when he went upon his knees at Valley Forge. With that faith which makes nothing impossible, let us sing : "Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, And this be our motto : 'In God is our trust !' " And again, let us sing on, "Our fathers' God, to Thee, Author of liberty, to Thee we sing; Long may our land be bright With freedom's holy light; Protect us by Thy might, Great God, our King." ¶

May that God, our King, in whom we trust as did our fathers, not forsake us, not forsake our Church, or our beloved country, I humbly pray. ¶