Early Statesman synthesis distilling legal jargon into practical meaning, statutory anchors, and structural constitutional impacts.
This executive order, signed by President Warren G. Harding on 1923-06-19, establishes federal administrative policy concerning "Secretary of Navy to Enforce Prohibition in Virgin Islands." It is a direct, concise executive instruction delivering focused administrative or military commands to department leadership.
Constitutional Assessment: Scrutinized through Article II, Section 2, this action exercises the President's constitutional role as Commander in Chief. Early Framers recognized broad executive discretion in commanding military forces during conflict, provided it remains bounded by congressional declarations and respects civilian domestic courts.
Key Directives & Operative Actions
▪Pursuant to the authority conferred in the Act "to provide a temporary Government for the West Indian Islands acquired by the United States from Denmark," etc., approved March 3, 1917, the administration of the National Prohibition Act in those Islands, now known as the Virgin Islands of the United States, is hereby transferred from the Secretary of the Treasury to the Secretary of the Navy.
Exec. Order No. 3871, Warren G. Harding (Jun 19, 1923). Available at https://executiveordersarchive.org/orders/app-executive-order-3871-secretary-navy-enforce-prohibition-virgin-islands.
Official Document Text
Source: The American Presidency Project (UCSB Archive)
Pursuant to the authority conferred in the Act "to provide a temporary Government for the West Indian Islands acquired by the United States from Denmark," etc., approved March 3, 1917, the administration of the National Prohibition Act in those Islands, now known as the Virgin Islands of the United States, is hereby transferred from the Secretary of the Treasury to the Secretary of the Navy. WARREN G. HARDING THE WHITE HOUSE, June 19, 1923.
