Evening star., 1915-02-27
CONDITIONS IN DISTRICT
AS SHOWN AT HEARINGS
Senate Committee to End Investiga-
tion Monday-Report May Go
to President Wilson.

ted to the Senate. 1t was, however.
predicted today at the Capitol that the
report, which will be drawn by the
prohibitionist members of the commit
tee. who have been conducting the In
quiry, will be unfavorable to the board.
on the ground that the evidence sub
mitted. while not showing any corrup-
tion. so far as the board Is concerned
has indicated administrative ineffective
ness in handling the excise situation
It is also declared by those who have
closely followed the hearings that the
cause of prohibition for the. District
has been greatly advanced through the
investigation. Senators, who favor
prohibition said today that the failufe
of the District officials to enforce the
Jones-works excise law, as they be-
lieved 1t should have been enforced.
was a blow at the liquor traffic more
effectual than the demands of the pro-
hibitionists for prohibition here.
Duty Of the Committee.
The Senate committee conducting the
Investigation has no other power, IL
was said today. than to make its re-
port and recommendations to the Sem
ate. What the Senate will do with the
report is still matter of conjecture
It is expected that either the Senate will
call the attention Of the President to the
report and the findings of the committee
or that the report will be laid before the
President by individual senators. The
President has full authority. of course.
to deal with the matter as he may see
fit.
The members of the committee said
today that they expected to wind up
the investigation Monday, and to
make a report to the Senate before ad-
journment of Congress next Thursday.
Members of the excise board ALREADY
have been before. the committee and
have been examined. II they desire.
however, to make further statements
defending their course. they Will be
permitted to do SO Monday.
The investigating committee planned
today to make personal inspection In
some Of the cases OF alleged violations
of the law in the matter OF issuing IL
censes which have been brought to the
attention of the members.
Charge Regarding Hotels.
One charge made against the excise
board which appears to have made an
impression is that licenses have been
issued to hotels in the District having
only twenty or thirty rooms, when the
excise law specifically states that no
license shall be issued to hotel hav-
ing less than fifty rooms. The defense
made by members of the board has
been been that these licenses were issued
not to these places as hotels. but as
restaurants. It has been brought out
at the hearing, however, the places IN
question received licenses as hotels
this fact was brought to the attention
of the board when applications were
under consideration.
The hearing before the committee
will be resumed Monday morning at
1890 o'clock.
DR.. MacMurray Criticises Board.
A sharp clash between Rev. DR.. John
MacMurray and Gen. Robert G. Smith.
chairman of the District excise board.
marked the afternoon session OF the
Senate investigation of charges against
the excise board yesterday. Dr. Mac
Murray told the committee that good
many citizens who were living In the
vicinity of his church had refused to
appear before the excise board and reg
lister their protests against the grant
ing Of LIQUOR licenses IN inat I'M se1ss nengnoGr ~
said as they would only be browbeat-
an nv members of the board and by
LAWYERS who were appearing before the
board in behalf OF the liquor interes.s,
nets declared DIR. MacMurray. and do
not think that the members OF the board
had the power to do other than they
did. Personally. however, an memDers
of the board always treated me We'll
when l appeared before them"
Gen. Smith Replies.
Cen Smith asked the committee to be
heard in reply Taking the stand. he
said:
at am an unfortunate culprit before
this august body, and 1t does not seem
fair for a gentleman, particularly one
of the cloth, to come here and malign.
abuse and scandalize. I am surprised
,h.t a man of his cloth should do such
a thing and afterward meagerly apollo
IT.. for IT. What did he call us-pup-
pets? .,,h.o. -
hoard. and I think might have had
one enn,,,d dna ask that that be taken back"
Sanator Sheppard said to Gen. Smith:
ayn,, have said now about as much as
be did. and so you've got no kick COM
ing"
Protests by Others.
ro,,owing the adjournment Of the
hearing until Monday morning at 1880
o'clock. attorneys representing the
,;ouor interests buttonholed Senators
sheppard and Thompson of the COM
mittee and protested against the state
noents made by DIR. MacMurray, insist
ing that his remarks be stricken from
the record.
tion as. we see 1t," said Senator Shep-
pard.. "Dr. MacMurray only expressed
an opinion and this committee is not
going to base its findings on mere opin-
IONS Opportunity to answer DR.. Mac
Murray's charge will be given when
the committee meets Monday morning"
Dr MacMurray declared that he would
make the charge against the excise
board from his pulpit. so that members
of the board may sue him for libel IL
they wish to contend that the charges
are untrue.
Attorney o'shea's Letter in Record.
Senator Sheppard read into the record
a letter from Attorney James A. |