The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-06-02
REVIEWS LOUCKs CHARGE.
Prohibition Organ Again Claims
 Scandal in Dismissal.

The Voter, the official organ of the state executive committee of the Pro- hibition party of Connecticut, returns to it's charge this month that there is a scandal behind the dismissal by Supt Egan and the state police com rnissioners of Merrill $. Loucks, state policeman. Loucks' name now appears at the top of the editorial page of the Voter. under the desig- nation: New Haven county organ izer.'' Myron T. Smith is editor of the Voter.
 In the course of a controversy with the Hartford Courant, the Voter de- clares: That as regards MT. Loucks reasons for leaving the state police departm ent, we desire to advise the Courant that the statement was based on facts, which can easily be substantiated before an unbiased tribunal"
 Continuing the Voter adds:
 With reference to MT. Loucks' leaving the state police, it might be interesting to quote from the Connec- ticut Citizen of last September, which will inform the Courant that regard less of the fact that the Citizen and the Voter represent different constitu- encies. the feeling of both papers at that time, was strong that MT. Loucks was discharged without cause:
 "'We hope the commissioners will give these reasons (for discharge) for from our long acquaintance with him (Mr. Loucks) and his work, we have always considered him a very valu- able member of the force. Meantim 2 it is due to the public that frank statement of the case be made, as many of his friends are 10th to be- lieve that he deserved such treatme ent.
 Up to this writing we have seen no statement of explanation"
 A state official, who did not care to have his name associated with the controversy, but who is in position to know good deal more about the facts in the case than either the edi- tor of the Voter or any other publi- cation. said that he would not re- gard it as inadvisable for the com missioners to set forth the reasons for the dismissal of Loucks. He said police department can usually be run better from the inside than the outside and the testimony of a dis missed man is not always to be re- ceiVed at face value.
 The Voter makes a serious charge about mutuality of interests on the part of the lobby of the railroad and the liquCr interests at the capitol. It says:
 ''We have stated in these columns before that the railroad and liquor interests at the capitol combine for mutual advantage. In conversation with a member of the General As sembly we learned of an appointm ent on the excise committee that was changed because J. Henry Rora back, the railroad lobbyist, and Edgar l.. Hopkins, the Hartford brewer, de- manded that it be made So long as such a condition exists no material progress need be expected.
 ''Fhe fact that owing to the strenu- ous campaign last fall to elect Judge Baldwin a number of prohibitionists deserted their own ticket and caused a decrease in our state vote is bein:, used as an argume ent that prohibition sentiment is waning.
 We repeat here and wish to em- phasize it as strongly as possible that a large prohibition vote will make it infinitely easier to secure restrictive legisla tion.'