The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-12-12

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As section 32 ct the prohibition law
requires that recomr mend In my am
nual report such changes IN the law
as may deem expedtent. respect
FULLY suggest that tho general Assem-.
bly, amend the prohibition law in the
! following particulars: s
81. So as to make the Illegal manr~
facture and transportation Of ardent
spirits fclonIes, as the federal law han
heretofore provided. An officer mak.
ing an arrest of an offender guilty OF
a felony has a right to use force SUI
ficIent 10 subdue the prisoner and pre-
vent his eacape. II the offender IL
guilty Of only rrisdemeanor tho
amount Of force the officer may use 10
limited Nearly All OF the men er-
caged In the Illegal manufacture ana
transportation OF wbiskey are armed
with high powered rifles or pistols and
they do not hesitate to use thernJ
against tho officers Of tho law. Al
ieady two inspectors of this dspart-
Tent have been murdered by such dea-
peradoes and nearly every ono Of the
inspectors has been srcd upon. The
safety OF th5 officers and the capture
OF the criminals depend upon the OF
flcers being free TO use the necessary
force to protect themselves and cor =
pei the guilty parties to submit to
arrest. Vt is an injustice to the on
GERS who are daily arrestsnv those
desperate criminals to restrict them
to the use OF such force as liz or
Ginarily necessary in the arrest OF PER.
sons guilty If minor infraction of th~
law To do 50 Is TO cripple their naA-
fuiaess as protectors Of society and 70
permit the enemies Of the law to defy
the law and to lnuneh ut Its censti-
tuted auth critics.
90. So as to make It illegal for
physicians To prescribe more than Otto
pint of ardent spirits for use by any
patient within a period OF ten days. 10
correspond With the limitations of the
federal statute
t2) SO as to provide for tho confie-
cation Of steamboats, having less thar
a certain value. and to create lien
in the mature OF fine or forfeiture ~
~ like amount against the more va
liable boats. SO as to restrain tha use
Of such boats in the Illegal traffic in
liquor.
40 So as to remove the privilege Of
individuals TO order ardent spirits
monthly as such privilege cannot noN
be exercised under the federal law.
C5). So AZ TO prohibit the sale OF
ardent spirits by drug stores In Nlr-
SiuiH
tel So az TO provide that clerks -
courts he required 70 send to the coA-
missioner copies of orders Of court con
Eecating vehicles for transportation -
itnuor end o. orders Of publication ft.r
the sale Of such vehicles, also recon-
raand that section tsl$ OF the Code OF
Virginia of 1919 be amended SO as ~
make mandatory a change OF venue for
the trial Of prohibition inspectors ftf
alleged offenses committed while in
the performance of their duties. as ID
now the ease when certain authorities
OF the counties and cities call apon the
governor for troops to protect eris-
oner. The reason for this amendment
is that in the event the sentiment -
any community may be violently or-
posed to the enforcement of tbs pro
hieition ls~ thst tact could not be
made TO work an Injustice against
faithful officer by convicting him ~ a
heinous offense as a mode OF attack
upon the prohibition department. II q
change Of venue In granted in sach
cases as q matter ~ right. there WOULD
he certainty Of obtaining ir such trials
the impartial Judgment OF Jurors re-
mote from th- scene Of the disturbance,
as may now be secured from Jurors
summoned by district courts of the
United States from a territory cover
ing half Of the state.
Respectfully submitted.
!. SIDNEY PETERS.
Commissioned of Prohibition