The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-26
SOME new RULES
Attorney General Brewster
Makes Changes in Methods
OF Securing Enforcement of the
PrOhibitOry Law.
REVIEWS ALL The EVIDENCE
Taken at Inquisiti0n Held by
the County Attorneys.
Better Results Are Obtained in
the Wet Counties.

Kansas law enforcement officers
are experiencing tho adoption of some
new rules concerning the duties of
county and city attorneys, sheriffs and
police officers. In his own way, S. NJ.
Brewster, attorney general, is bring
ing about an understanding of these
new rules. They are to the effect that
in districts where law enforcement has
been lax, the attorney general will
personally keep. an eye on conditions
and will direct the work of the public
prosecutors and watch results by
sheriffs and police.
None of the details of his campaign
for law enforcement is being pushed
before the public by the attorney gen
eral. In fact he is disposed to say lit
tie or nothing as to his plans. 1t is
known, however, that a general letter
recently went to law enforcement Of
ficers and that results are already be-
ing obtained.
some of the old methods of imita-
ton law enforcement will so out OF
style during his administration. Not
only will he direct the county attor-
neys to get busy, but he will watch
their work and himself pass judgment
on results.
Under the old system when a coun-
ty attorney was directed to clean up
the joints in his town, he made a
showing by holding a series of lnqu1S1-
lions and reporting the fact to the at
torney general. If the county attor-
ney was especially cunning, he even
went so far as to send to the attorney
general q supposed outline of the
work. This report covered names of
persons investigated and witnesses
called. All too often, though, the re-
port concluded with the statement
that no results were obtained. Then
the matter Jagged or was dropped en-
tirely.
Gets All the Evidence.
Such a report to Brewster would
profit noting. When an order is sent
out to county attorney now, he is
told of evidence that has been sent to
the state house. Then he is told to
get busy. But with the direction to
get busy, is also a word directing the
county attorney to send to the attor-
ney general a transcript of the evil
dence. After reviewing this evidence,
Brewster can determine quite clearly
whether a real genuine inquiry was
held and whether the testimony war
rants further action.
Not once since he became attorney
general has Brewster gone into I1eav-
enWorth, Atchison, Wyandotte, Chero-
kee, Crawford, Sedgwick or any of the
supposed wet counties of the state for
the purpose of investigating liquor
troubles. Yet reports from a number
of these counties have been to the eff
feet that real results are being OBJ
tanned.
L don't want TO en1barraSS the local
officers by rushing into print said
Brewster. 'In the main, / think they
are making a genuine and honest ef-
fort to enforce the law. 1 want re-
suits by cooperation rather than by
intimidation. OF course if I don't gec
them, there will then be time to act.
But 1 don't want to be placed in the
light of giving out interviews on the
liquor situation to gain publicity or for
political purposes