▁" a ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁general ▁movement ▁to ▁shift ▁responsibility ▁from ▁the ▁individual ▁to ▁the ▁State " ▁that ▁will ▁" end ▁by ▁destroy ing ▁representative ▁government ." ▁The ▁book ▁described ▁the ▁history ▁of ▁federal - state ▁relations ▁and ▁war ned ▁that ▁federal ▁enfor cement ▁of ▁national ▁prohib ition ▁" in vol ves ▁a ▁us ur p ation ▁of ▁the ▁reserved ▁powers ▁of ▁the ▁States " ▁and ▁establish es ▁a ▁preced ent ▁for ▁the ▁surrender ▁of ▁their ▁power ▁to ▁the ▁national ▁government . ▁Re views ▁in ▁some ▁legal ▁journ als ▁were ▁brief ▁and ▁respect ful , ▁but ▁Harvard ▁Law ▁Review ▁published ▁a ▁review ▁by ▁Harvard ▁Law ▁Professor ▁Thomas ▁Re ed ▁Pow ell ▁that ▁said : ▁" For ▁un supported ▁assert ions , ▁for ▁self - contr ad ict ions , ▁for ▁loose ▁termin ology , ▁for ▁non - sequ it urs , ▁for ▁political ▁fool ish ness , ▁this ▁book ▁has ▁few ▁pe ers ." ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 3 0 s , ▁Stevens on ▁was ▁associated ▁with ▁ ▁the ▁National ▁C iv ic ▁Federation , ▁by ▁then ▁a ▁small ▁right - wing ▁group . ▁He ▁cha ired ▁its ▁Committee ▁on ▁Free ▁Spe ech ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 7 , ▁when ▁he ▁delivered ▁a ▁radio ▁address ▁on ▁the ▁proper ▁limitations ▁on ▁the ▁free ▁speech ▁of ▁employees . ▁He ▁said : ▁ ▁I ▁refer ▁to ▁those ▁cases ... in ▁which ▁a ▁teacher , ▁professor ▁or ▁cl erg yman ▁is ▁called ▁in ▁question ▁by ▁his ▁employ