THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE EIGHTEENTH AMENDMENT AND THE VOLSTEAD ACT - Address by Governor Albert C. Ritchie of Maryland - Wednesday Evening, August 14, 1929

Sep 21, 2026

Address by Governor Albert C. Ritchie of Maryland at the Institute of Public Affairs, University of Virginia, arguing that the Eighteenth Amendment and the Volstead Act have produced an ignoble failure. It criticizes prohibition enforcement methods, rising crime and corruption, and the demoralization of law. Ritchie states that while citizens must obey federal laws, states are not legally or morally required to exercise concurrent enforcement power, and Maryland’s position is presented as reasoned rather than disloyal.

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Pages14

Reading Time22 min

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TECHNICAL MICROFORM DATA

THE ENFORCEMENT

EIGHTEENTH AMENDMENT

THE VOLSTEAD ACT

97-84072-27Ritchie,Albert Cabell The enforcement of theEighteenth amendment...Washington,D.C. [1929] # COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIESPRESERVATION DIVISIONBIBLIOGRAPHIC MICROFORM TARGET ORIGINAL MATERIAL AS FILMED-EXISTING BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD 303ZRitchie,Albert Cabell,137G-1936.Box 237The enforcement of the eighteenth amendnent andthe Volntead aot from the point of view of theindividual states·Address by Governor Albert c.Ritchie,of lnryland,at the Institute of publicaffairs,University of Virginia,Wednesday eve-ning,August l4,1929·Washington,AasociationBgainst the prohibition amendment 192916 p.23×92 cm.aA0 ## RESTRICTIONS ON USE: Reproductions may not be made without permission from Columbia University Libraries. ## TECHNICAL MICROFORM DATA FILM SIZE: 35mmREDUCTION BATIO: 9:1 IB IMAGE PLACEMENT:IA IIB DATE FILMED: 5-L-91 NITIALS:LB 23782 ## TRACKING\#: FILMED BY PRESERVATION RESOURCES,BETHLEHEM,PA. 3 ## THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE ## EIGHTEENTH AMENDMENT AND THE VOLSTEAD ACT from the Point of View of theIndividual States 2x237 ADDRESS BY GOVERNOR ALBERT C.RITCHIEOF MARYLAND At the Institute of Public Affairs,University of Virginia Wednesday Evening,August 14,1929 Issued by the ASSOCIATION AGAINST THEPROHIBITION AMENDMENTNATIONAL PRESS BUILDINGWASHINGTON,D.C. 、” Crjquielut N.M·ue 11.14.9 ## The Enforcement of the EighteenthAmendment and the Volstead Actfrom the Point of View of theIndividual States ADDRESS BY GOVERNOR ALBERT C.RITCHIE OF MARYLAND I am one of the many who think we erredin putting prohibition into the Constitution,and that we err doubly in our present meth-ods of attempted enforcement.If it be con-ceded that this great social experiment mayhave been noble in motive,I am still con-vinced that twelve years of experimentationhave proved it an ignoble failure.You maydisagree with me as to this,but you are boundto agree that we face one of the most per-plexing and irrepressible problems which de-mocracy has ever been called upon to solve.And solve it we must;though I questionwhether we shall ever do so by the processesof party politics,because prohibition makestoo many political cowards. Somehow the same,sound,sincere menand women of the country,regardless of partyloyalties or personal predilections,must bearoused and united to the urgent need of do-ing something.The present intolerable situ-ation cannot continue. It suits neither thesincere wets nor the sincere drys.The timehas come to cut ouf wild talk,mutual crimi-nations and recriminations and personal abuse,and face the facts. Nothing is gained by insisting that pro-hibition reflects the higher morality and thewill of God:that all good men are ipscfacto for it,and that he who is not is ipsofacto a publican,a sinner and an enemy ofmankind. A condition and not a theory confronts us.The power and prestige of government isbeing impaired and the administration of lawdemoralized.The annual financial cost,di-rect and indirect,of this experiment is,I be-lieve,rapidly passing the billion dollar mark; and out of it all we are developing new formsof crime,of corruption,of law defiance andmaladministration. National prohibition is not a success andthe sooner we admit it the sooner we shallfind a way to do something constructive.Theappointment of a Presidential commission tostudy an increase in crime which where itexists every police chief knows is due to thepresent system of National prohibition iscertainly an extraordinary phenomenon inGovernment and is itself a sufficient admis-sion of failure. It is my purpose first to discuss the claimthat the States have either a legal or a moralduty to take over as a State proposition theenforcement of the eighteenth amendment. There are no State enforcement acts in NewYork,Nevada,Montana,Wisconsin andMaryland.Of these States the first four hadenforcement acts but repealed them.Mar

FAQs

What does Governor Albert C. Ritchie argue about prohibition’s overall results?

He argues that prohibition was an ignoble failure after twelve years, producing new forms of crime, corruption, and law defiance while demoralizing law enforcement.

How does Ritchie describe the role of states in enforcing the Eighteenth Amendment?

He contends that states have concurrent power but are not legally or morally obliged to exercise it; they may choose whether to enforce using sound discretion.

Does Ritchie dispute that citizens must obey the amendment and federal laws?

No. He says Maryland’s position does not question citizens’ legal duty to obey the Eighteenth Amendment and the federal laws enacted under it.

Sep 21, 2026

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