PROHIBITION-HOW WE STAND

Current agitation of the liquor question gives to it a place of foremost importance in popular consideration. Friends and opponents of the Prohibition laws are engaged in a titanic struggle for the supremacy of their respective views. The issues presented are and ought to be of deep interest to every citizen of the country. They are likewise of serious interest to members of the Church as such, because the question involved concerns very intimately the personal moral welfare of the men and women and youth of the Nation and of the Church in the Nation. Nothing that touches the moral welfare of the people is without consequence in our religious philosophy.

With such a premise for justification of the public expression of our views on this question, we unitedly issue this statement.

The Eighteenth Amendment, prohibiting the manufacture and sale of spirituous liquors, is part and parcel of the Constitution of the United States. It will so remain until it shall be, if ever, abrogated by voice of the people, as provided by law. The processes provided for the repeal of an amendment to the Constitution of necessity require long periods of time for their consummation. While there is much public agitation to set these processes in motion, it should be clearly understood that the question of repeal is not now, and perchance may not be hereafter, placed before the American people for their official expression. Even if the proponents for repeal are ultimately successful in their endeavor to have the question legally placed before the States for determining action, much time will likely elapse before such a definite issue can be presented for popular or legislative vote.

Meanwhile we do not hesitate to give the emphatic counsel that it is the unqualified duty of every citizen to continue loyally to support the Eighteenth Amendment and the laws of Congress in relation thereto. The officers of the Government who are charged with the responsibility of maintaining this particular law should have the help and encouragement of every person who enjoys citizenship under our Constitution. There can be no justification under our system of government for violation of this law nor for tolerance in its violation.

The Church is so firmly committed to the maintenance and support of the governments in which its members have citizenship that it must regard violations of the law of the land as serious infractions of its own discipline and principles of Church government. We believe that any other position is untenable, either for ourselves as Church members or for other citizens of the Republic. We believe also that there is no better way to adequately test the value and ultimate worth of a law or principle than by strict and universal enforcement.

With the purpose of the Prohibition measures we have complete sympathy. They were designed to promote the cause of temperance and ultimately to bring about complete abstinence from intoxicating liquors. The position of the Church with reference to the use of intoxicants and other body poisons is well known. We do not need to restate it here.

It is not our desire to become involved in political controversy. In fact, we wish it distinctly understood that the aid of the Church or of ourselves as officials of it is not available to any candidate or party. We do feel at liberty, however, to stand for and strongly to encourage the enforcement of the laws of our Country and to support any and all officials who honestly endeavor to administer them. It is our earnest hope that the members of the Church may be foremost among the citizens of the Country in living and otherwise encouraging and fortifying the maintenance of our laws under the Constitution of the Nation.

—The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.