Law Enforcement Day Proclamation by Thomas W. Bickett, 6 January 1920

On January 16th, 1920, according to the action of the citizens of this nation, the fundamental policy of this Government regarding the liquor traffic will change and, according to our Federal Constitution, it will be unlawful to manufacture, sell, transport, import, or export intoxicating liquors for beverage purposes in the United States. Under the provisions of the law-enforcement code passed by Congress Oct. 28, 1919, the Internal Revenue Department is charged with the enforcement of this law, and Mr. Roper, the head of this department, is appealing to citizens and State officers to give the Federal officers full co-operation in this work.

Now, therefore, I, Thomas Walter Bickett, Governor of North Carolina, by virtue of the authority vested in me, do hereby proclaim that Sunday, January 18th, be set apart as “Law-Enforcement Day,” and I request that the ministers of the State, on that day, read this proclamation to their congregations and call on them to co-operate with the officers for the enforcement of our National and State anti-liquor laws.

Done at our city of Raleigh, this the 6th day of January, in the year of our Lord, one thousand nine hundred and twenty and in the one hundred forty-fourth year of our American Independence.